NEWS RELEASE Contact: Chief Cynthia McAlister
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE cmalister@purcellvilleva.gov 540-338-7422
PURCELLVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PRECAUTIONS
PURCELLVILLE, Va. March 13, 2020 — The safety and well-being of those who live, work, and visit the Town of Purcellville is the upmost concern of the Purcellville Police Department. In order for us to continue to provide essential police services to our citizens, we have taken the following steps to protect those we serve and our officers:
- Due to the recent declaration of emergency for the Commonwealth of Virginia and following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Loudoun County Health Department guidelines and recommendations, we are currently postponing our community events to include Tea with a Cop on Saturday, March 28th, and the Books and Badges story time held on Thursdays at the Purcellville Library from 10:15 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. We hope to reschedule these events at a later date.
- Fingerprinting services for Town residents at the Purcellville Police Station has been suspended. Purcellville residents in need of fingerprinting for employment or other reasons can go to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Administration Building at 803 Sycolin Road, SE in Leesburg during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday for fingerprinting requests.
- The citizen ride-along program has been suspended until further notice.
- For citizens who need to report past-occurred crimes, or other crimes which they may be inclined to visit the police station in person to report, instead please call the police department at 540-338-7422, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to determine if an officer can assist over the phone, instead of in person.
- If you are experiencing an emergency, dial 911 and an officer will respond to assist you. However, for some non-emergencies situations, an officer may be able to assist via the phone or residents have the ability to file an online report for certain incidents such as lost property, destruction of property, civil disputes, financial crimes, theft, alcohol violations, or harassing calls/emails.
- Residents can use the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office website https://www.loudoun.gov/4596/Report-A-Crime to access their Online Reporting System and follow the detailed instructions to see if their incident is reportable online. If you have any questions about filing an online report, or if online reporting is appropriate for your situation, please contact the LCSO Emergency Communications Center at 703-777-1021 for assistance.
- In addition, officers have been instructed to take the following precautions when interacting with citizens on calls for service, for both the protection of the person(s) they are assisting, as well as for the officer’s themselves:
- Don protective equipment such as latex gloves and/or protective masks if an officer suspects an individual is exhibiting signs of illness or has been in contact with a suspected Coronavirus patient.
- Ask additional questions regarding the health of an individual, including possible recent travels or other personal contacts.
- Limit unnecessary physical contact with non-arrestees, such as avoiding handshakes, and respect a larger social distancing space of ideally six feet.
- If you do call 911 for an emergency, or the non-emergency dispatch number, 703-777-1021, be prepared that the communication dispatchers have been instructed to ask additional questions regarding possible Coronavirus exposure factors for certain instances.
These measures are only taken out of an abundance of caution for the residents we serve. In order for our officers to properly provide the level of service to the community it expects, we need to take into account both the health of our neighbors and our officers.
For additional information please visit the websites of the Virginia Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, residents may learn more and sign up for updates about COVID-19 from the Loudoun County government at loudoun.gov/coronavirus. Residents may also text LCCOVID19 to 888777 to receive text alerts from Loudoun County about COVID-19 or call the Loudoun County Health Department public information line, 703-737-8300, which is staffed from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Monday - Friday and 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The Town of Purcellville, Virginia
“Purcellville-your small Town, where history and progress intersect and people prosper,” is an award-winning town of over 10,000 residents located in Loudoun County, approximately 50 miles west of Washington, DC. Having received the prestigious Siemens Sustainability Award for Small Communities, Purcellville continues to be honored for its green initiatives with most recently being the Tree City USA recipient for the 12th year. The Town was reaffirmed as a AAA rated community by S&P Global Ratings, the highest credit rating possible, and is recognized as one of the safest towns in Virginia. Once a stop along the W&OD rail line, which has been converted to a multi-use trail from Alexandria, VA to Purcellville, the Town has maintained its historic old-town feel through the restoration and maintenance of its many downtown structures, reflecting the Victorian architecture popular during the early 1900s. Today, Purcellville is the economic hub of western Loudoun County and a popular weekend destination for antiquing, equestrian activities, farmer’s markets, wineries, breweries, distilleries and restaurants. More info at www.purcellvilleva.gov.
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