Police Commission meeting

Included among the Commission meeting  Agenda items is this report from Chief Merner on the Portsmouth Police Department's response to COVID-19:

• The PPD is in frequent emergency response coordination with the Governor’s Office, NH Department of Health & Human Services, NH Department of Public Safety, State Emergency Operations Center, the Attorney General’s Office, the City Manager, City of Portsmouth Department Heads, State E911 Center, among others.                                    
• The PPD is in constant contact with the City Health Officer, Portsmouth Regional Hospital, the Fire Department, and Human Resources.                                                 
• Command staff has maintained a regular conference call schedule that includes weekends.
• One officer has tested positive for COVID-19 and is at home recovering. The Fire Dept. provided a temporal thermometer and all officers' temperatures are taken upon arrival to work.  
• The PPD currently has a sufficient supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies, in good part due to generous donations by local citizens and businesses. (We will recognize all donors soon.)                                                                    
• Every officer is equipped with a PPE kit that includes a Tyvek suit, 1.5 ml gloves, N-95 mask, goggles, face shield, and booties. Fire Department personnel attended eight different roll calls to ensure all officers had properly fitting masks.                                              
• Additional steps have been taken to clean police cruisers, all equipment, and common areas at the PPD.   
• There is restricted access to the PPD. All visitors and those requiring transport to the hospital will be required to follow established protocols intended to maximize personal and community safety; there will be no exceptions.                                                            
• Drive carefully around town. Pedestrians are attempting to maintain social distance and will occasionally step onto the road from a sidewalk or road shoulder to avoid others.
• Unfortunately, the Department is unable to accept any donations of food at this time.