© Nick Suss/Clarion Ledger Two masked Oxford Police officers prepare to aid senior citizens at Larson's Cash Saver on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

OXFORD — The Oxford Police Department is doing its part to quell the spread of coronavirus, in big ways and small.



Beginning Monday of this week, OPD officers have been on location at Oxford grocery stores participating in a shopping assistance program for citizens 55 years old and older. Officers, wearing gloves and masks, have been helping older Oxford residents bring groceries to their cars and handing out supplies to help "make seniors feel safe while shopping."

OPD has been deploying two officers to Kroger from 7-8 a.m. and Larson's Cash Saver (8-9 a.m.) each morning. At Kroger, one officer has been assisting with loading groceries while another has been handing out gloves to shoppers.

An officer who was involved with the assistance on Monday estimated he handed out between 200 and 250 pairs of gloves in the hour he spent at Kroger.

One OPD spokesman said the idea was suggested by an officer who thought assisting older citizens was a necessity given the increased risks of coronavirus for older and immunosuppressed communities.

At Larson's Cash Saver Tuesday morning, two officers stood outside their squad car offering help to anyone who needed it. They helped with groceries, sure. But they also traded laughs with shoppers, greeted people with elbow bumps and dispensed hand sanitizer when asked.

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Brent Larson, the owner of Larson's Cash Saver, posted on Facebook Tuesday afternoon thanking Oxford police.

"Thank you Oxford MS police department for your dedication and service to our community," Larson's post said. "From all your hometown businesses and leaders, we appreciate you."

Around two dozen people replied to Larson's post thanking the officers for their help.





As a city, Oxford has taken enhanced measures as a result of the coronavirus. All non-essential businesses, including sit-down restaurants, bars, gyms, parks, entertainment facilities retail stores, are closed until April 6, and that date may be extended if deemed necessary.

Grocery stores are some of the few Oxford establishments that have remained open, as well as hospitals and healthcare providers, pharmacies, banks, government service offices and cemeteries.

Contact Nick Suss at 601-408-2674 or nsuss@gannett.com. Follow @nicksuss on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Oxford Police Department helps residents 55 and older with grocery shopping

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