UNC Police have enacted a temporary special order in an attempt to limit police officer’s exposure to COVID-19.

This special order instates a Telephone Response Plan (TRP). This plan will allow university officers to respond to non-active, non-violent calls over the phone while UNC operations remain suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.

According to a release by UNC Police, the TRP went into effect Monday, March 16 and will be rescinded only when UNC operations return to normal and the university transitions back to in-person classes.

UNC Police stress that complaints received and processed during this specified operational period will be given the same priority and attention as complaints taken in-person. Should a complainant desire to see an officer, then the call will be handled normally.

Examples of calls appropriate for the TRP may include non-active misdemeanor crimes, non-active larcenies under $1,000, lost property, stolen motor vehicle reports and non-emergency animal complaints.

Investigators within the UNC Police Criminal Investigation Division will continue to operate normally when assigned cases involving felonious crimes and misdemeanor interpersonal crimes against persons.

Examples of service calls inappropriate for the TRP may include cases where severe injuries were inflicted, incidents involving weapons, domestic violence calls and motor vehicle accidents.

UNC Police issued the following statement along with the release detailing their new response protocol:

“The Carolina campus should rest assured that safety and security of this community remains our top priority, and we appreciate the public’s assistance and understanding during these challenging and unprecedented times.”

To learn more about UNC Police’s Telephone Response Plan, visit their website.

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