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The Pensacola Police Department adopted new policies Monday for how officers will respond to minor calls as a precaution to limit the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Effective Monday afternoon, PPD officers will no longer respond in person to "minor situations that are over with and that do not require the collection of evidence," according to PPD spokesman Mike Wood.

"A minor incident would be, like if a kid’s bicycle was stolen from the front yard or a rocking chair was stolen off the front porch, there is no evidence to collect there — something very minor," Wood said. "But if somebody’s car was broken into, then an officer would respond, because there are fingerprints to collect there off the car."

The PPD's aim is to cut down on the number of face-to-face interactions officers have with the public, Wood said.

"We are going to try to minimize contact with the public when it’s not necessary," he said.

As always, Pensacola residents should still call 911 in an emergency. Callers reporting minor situations will be transferred to officers who will speak to them over the phone and take down their information.

Wood said officers will continue to respond in person to major and life-threatening calls for service. They will also continue to respond in person to scenes that require the collection of evidence or on-scene reports.

"The public will not know the difference," Wood said.

Unlike the PPD, neither the Escambia County Sheriff Office nor the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office had announced changes to their policies as of Monday afternoon.

SRSO spokesman Sgt. Rich Aloy said his agency's deputies "are trained to be aware of potentially hazardous situations and to act accordingly."

Aloy said it is standard practice for SRSO deputies to not enter a private citizen's home — unless in the event of an emergency — if that person is showing signs of illness.

Colin Warren-Hicks can be reached at colinwarrenhicks@pnj.com or 850-435-8680.