Thompson RCMP detachment Staff Sgt. Chris Hastie says officers are aware of the symptoms of COVID-19 and taking them into account when responding to calls.
“If a person is set or were to be arrested and displays apparent symptoms of COVID-19, Thompson Fire & Emergency Services will be contacted for immediate assistance and medical treatment,” he says. “The safety of the public is paramount in these sort of instances.”
The same precaution applies to people being lodged in detachment cells and Thompson RCMP is attempting to house prisoners in cells by themselves when possible. Medical assessments of prisoners were already part of the standard operating procedure prior to the current novel coronavirus pandemic.
Manitoba RCMP detachments are asking the public not to visit their 80 detachments in Manitoba in person if possible.
“For precautionary reasons due to COVID-19, effectively immediately, we are asking that the public only visit a detachment if it's urgent,” said a March 17 news release from Manitoba RCMP media relations.
People who wish to discuss a non-urgent matter are being asked to phone their local detachment, while those with an emergency should call 911 or the emergency number for their detachment - 204-677-6911 in Thompson.
Fingerprinting and criminal record check services have been cancelled until further notice.
Hastie said there was no noticeable change in the volume of calls the Thompson detachment received over the first weekend since the first positive test for COVID-19 in Manitoba last week and subsequent cancellation of various events and gatherings but he expects any effect resulting from people practising social distancing could be evident in upcoming days.
“This weekend should be the tell-tale,” he said.
