Residents, Business Community, and Visitors:

Riverside Police Department is committed to serving our residents and visitors.   In light of the rapidly evolving situation as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the police department will be making some modifications to the services we provide. These modifications are for the safety of our employees and the citizens we serve.  Our goal is to try to prevent or contain the spread of COVID-19, especially to those in the high risk category.

As we have witnessed, this is an ever-changing situation and we must have the ability to adapt with these changes.  Staying informed is our best tool moving forward.  Continue to monitor updates from The Cook County Department of Health (https://www.cookcountypublichealth.org), the Illinois Department of Public health (http://dph.illinois.gov/), and the Center for Disease Control (https://www.cdc.gov).

The listed protocols will go into effect beginning March 17, 2020, at 8:00 AM and will remain in effect until further notice.  

• The Police Department will only be responding to HIGH PRIORITY Emergency Calls inside your home for:
• Violent crimes or crimes against persons (this includes Domestic incidents where the offender is still on scene).
• In progress calls where the offender is on scene.
• Property crimes where evidence may exist and the scene needs to be processed. 
• The on duty supervisor can also determine if a response is warranted or the call can be handled outside your home or business.
• If calls require a response to your residence and you are able, meet the officer outside after calling the police.

• The police department will handle LOW PRIORITY calls by responding outside your home or business:
• Calls such as delayed incidents, information for police, ordinance violations, etc., will be handled via the officer meeting you outside your residence or business.  Call 911 for police response. 
• Police Supervisors may ask you to report low priority calls by phone. You can expect, at times, to get a phone call back from an on duty officer requesting that he/she take your report by phone. All case reports will be followed up on as needed.
• RPD will also be temporarily suspending all in person service functions such as fingerprinting services, building tours, etc.  

• Please do NOT enter Village Hall/Police Department if:
• your report can be taken outside your home.
• you have a fever or have had a fever within the last 24 hours.
• you have traveled outside of the United States within the last 14 days.
• you are experiencing, flu-like symptoms, a cough, sore throat, or shortness of breath.

Please remember we are committed to serving our residents, business community, and visitors, but in order to do this on a continual basis we must try to ensure our officers and staff remain healthy.  We are taking these extraordinary steps as we are experiencing extraordinary times. We must try to minimize health risks to employees and our community, especially those most vulnerable to the coronavirus. 

If you have any questions feel free to contact me.  Thank you.

Thomas Weitzel

Chief of Police 

tweitzel@riverside.il.us