Mar 18, 2020 3 min read

To help follow social-distancing recommendations related to COVID-19, Peters Township Police Department is modifying its operations and how it handles numerous situations and procedures.

According to the department, in cases involving emergency calls in which an individual’s personal safety or property is immediately endangered, officers will continue to promptly respond to the scene, and in a manner appropriate to the emergency.

Reports of previous crimes, suspicious behaviors, not ongoing, informational requests, general complaints and the like will be screened by an officer over the phone. An officer will contact the complainant by phone to see if the request for police assistance or information can be handled by phone.

Walk-in complaints at the police department are strongly discouraged. Those making complaints should evaluate other ways of communicating with the police besides in person at the station.

Those who choose to visit in person will find the front doors locked and be directed to a red call box near the main entrance. The call box connects with Washington County 911, which then will contact an officer on duty to handle the request for police services.

The officer will engage the subject from behind the glass window of the station that separates the police department from the lobby. Only under extreme circumstances will an officer enter the lobby to converse with the complainant, or the complainant be invited into the department.

Those who requests for reports as per the Right to Know Law are encouraged to visit the township website and use the online form. Completed forms then can be submitted to the police department via email at PoliceRecords@peterstownship.com.

Requests for Pennsylvania State Reportable Crash Reports can be made via www.crashdocs.org. Peters Township police will continue to conduct crash investigations for reportable crashes only.

Individual citizen requests for reports from the police department are strongly discouraged, as they would require in-person visits. Typically, insurance companies are responsible for collecting crash reports for their clients as a part of the services included in insurance premiums.

Tours of the police department and related activities are canceled indefinitely.

Fingerprinting services are no longer performed at the Peters Township station. The function can be conducted at any of the Pennsylvania IdentoGO contractors approved for that service, information about which is at www.identogo.com.

For drivers who are issued warnings for equipment violations, to show proof that the item has been corrected, respond to the police department and call 911 to request an officer stop at the station for the vehicle check. Remain in the parking lot, in your car, and an officer will respond. Additional modifications may be necessary as the situation develops over the coming weeks, police said.