Upper Macungie Township Police Chief Edgardo A. Colón issued the following advisory March 16 regarding the COVID-19 Global Pandemic.

As the COVID-19 global pandemic evolves, so does the spread of the virus in cities and towns nearby Upper Macungie Township.

“As a result of this, I wanted to take a moment to address residents in regards to some minor changes in our normal patrol operations,” he said.

• As always, Upper Macungie Township police officers are ready and prepared to answer emergency calls for service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Residents experiencing a police, fire, or medical emergency should dial 911 for immediate assistance.

• For non-emergency calls for police service, residents should be aware that officers that may elect to phone residents rather than respond directly to the home of the caller. If an in-person visit is necessary, officers will respond and do their best to follow social distancing guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Public fingerprinting at UMTPD headquarters is temporarily suspended until further notice.

• No new community events will be scheduled until further notice.

First Responders, such as the police officers that protect and serve the residents of Upper Macungie Township, are a vital part of the critical infrastructure that can and should be counted on to provide services to residents in need during times of uncertainty.

“An important aspect of that role is leading by example, utilizing CDC recommended protocols for law enforcement officers (like social distancing and hand-washing) that we hope will help slow the progression of this virus without putting an unnecessary strain on the medical community,” Colón said.