Bethel Police Officers will be available between the 8am and 11:30pm to take police reports over the phone for certain types of calls. This service will be used in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak and will continue until further notice.

The types of calls that Bethel officers will take over the phone are those that do not require an on-scene investigation to be conducted, evidence to be collected, or otherwise require an officer to respond to the scene. Residents having incidents meeting these criteria are encouraged to use this service. 

The goal of this temporary procedure is to help cut down on unnecessary in-person contact and help mitigate the risks associated with person-to-person transmission of coronavirus. 

If it is determined that a response by an officer is warranted, they are likely to keep a “safe distance” and unlikely to shake hands out of an abundance of caution to keep staff and the public safe.  Bethel Police officials says officers will always respond to crimes of violence and crimes against a person.