Global Police Response to COVID-19

Global Police Response to COVID-19

The emergence of COVID-19 is impacting communities across the globe. Law enforcement leaders worldwide are encountering unprecedented challenges, and, in response, must take unprecedented actions to keep themselves, their officers, and their communities safe. In these challenging times, police leaders can learn from one another by understanding how their colleagues from around the world are responding to this pandemic. To learn more about the global policing community’s response to COVID-19, please see the articles and resources below.

Although COVID-19 is a global pandemic, it has affected every community differently.  As such, police leaders everywhere are responding in a variety of ways to meet the unique needs of their communities.

Law enforcement organizations across the globe have developed resources to aid police agencies in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Select a region below to access COVID-19 resources for police agencies and news sources.

Asia/Oceana

Department Resources:

AUSTRAC COVID-19 Updates 
Australia COVIDSafe app
Center for the Advanced Study of India (CASI) Policing and Public Health: State Capacity on the Front Lines of the COVID-19 Pandemic 
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) Respecting Human Rights while Enforcing the Lockdown: Guidelines for Police 
Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime Consent and persuasion: Community policing in Delhi
IDFC Institute Police Preparedness in Pandemic
Indian Police
New Zealand Police 105 Police Non-Emergency Supporting Information
Police Federation of Australia  COVID-19 and Policing in Australia
World Economic Forum Why India has the upper hand against COVID-19 

 

News Articles:

Asia/Pacific 30-APR-2020 How to Enforce COVID-19 Emergency Measures
Australia 25-MAY-2020 Australian politician asks about drone use in COVID-19 inquiry
Australia 20-APR-2020 WA-developed app mitigates COVID-19 risk for police and motorists
Australia 02-APR-2020 Police establish COVID-19 hotline
Australia 31-MAR-2020 Coronavirus community transmissions in Victoria grow as Fitzroy restaurant fined
Australia 31-MAR-2020 Pandemic drones: Useful for enforcing social distancing or for creating a police state?
Australia 30-MAR-2020 How each state will be enforcing the coronavirus two-person rule on gatherings from midnight
Australia 23-MAR-2020 Western Australian Government response
Bangladesh 08-JUN-2020 Bangladesh police turn to yoga to boost health amid coronavirus pandemic
India 14-MAY-2020 First responders: The police story in the fight against Covid-19 in Kasargod
India 16-APR-2020 How Mumbai police is winning hearts during lockdown
India 10-APR-2020 Coronavirus: Chennai police personnel paint on road to spread Covid-19 awareness
India 09-APR-2020 Sec 144, Mobile App, Drones: How Kasaragod Halved Its COVID-19 Progression Rate in 10 Days
India 02-APR-2020 Coronavirus: Delhi Police to track phones of people under quarantine
India 02-APR-2020 Cyient Provides Drone-Based Surveillance Technology to support Cyberabad Police in implementing COVID-19 Lockdown
India 30-MAR-2020 A police officer is wearing a coronavirus helmet to warn people to stay inside during India's lockdown
India 24-MAR-2020 India Declares 21-day Total Lockdown as Coronavirus Cases Rise
India 24-MAR-2020 Kerala police and other govt agencies reaching out to the elderly amid lockdown
Indonesia 05-MAY-2020 How COVID-19 Is Reshaping Terror Threats in Indonesia
Nepal 30-MAR-2020 Police set up coronavirus response unit at every station
New Zealand 06-APR-2020 Covid 19 coronavirus: Police launch Creative Genius series with 'Self Isolation for beginners' video
Pakistan JUN-16-2020 Coronavirus Pandemic Puts Police in the Spotlight in Pakistan
Pakistan 10-MAY-2020 Pakistan to use technology to identify COVID-19 hotspots & enforce ‘smart lockdown’ as cases cross 30,330
The Philippines 31-MAR-2020 PNP opens quarantine center as seven cops test positive for novel coronavirus
The Philippines 25-MAR-2020 India Declares 21-day Total Lockdown as Coronavirus Cases Rise
Singapore 08-MAY-2020 Roaming 'robodog' politely tells Singapore park goers to keep apart 
Singapore 19-MAR-2020 Coronavirus: The detectives racing to contain the virus in Singapore
South Asia 24-MAR-2020 Coronavirus in South Asia, March 24, 2020: Outbreak in Pakistan and India on Lockdown
South Korea 12-MAY-2020 Covid-19: S. Korea deploys mobile data, police to tackle nightlife cluster 
Taiwan 20-MAR-2020 Taiwan's new 'electronic fence' for quarantines leads wave of virus monitoring

Europe

Department Resources:

Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI)

Sergeants and Inspectors Respond to New National Policing Plan on COVID-19
CEPOL
Europe European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA): COVID-19 and Drugs 
European Commission Helpline Directory
EUROPOL
Italy Permanent Monitoring and Analysis Body on Organized Crime Infiltration in the Economy after COVID-19
Italian State Police Prevention and safety procedures
Italy - Ministry of the Interior Containment measures, gender and domestic violence
Lancet Psychology Suicide risk and prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic
National Police Chiefs' Council Coronavirus: Guidance on personal protective equipment issued to police forces
Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE)
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Public employment services in the frontline for jobseekers, workers and employers 
Oscar Kilo
Police Service of Northern Ireland COVID-19 advice and information

Scottish Police Federation

COVID-19 Information

Swedish Police Association

The Coronavirus and the Job
University of Cambridge Policing in a Pandemic: Building Trauma Resilience - Dr Rick Hanson and Dr Jess Miller
Victim Support Europe COVID-19 Information

News Articles:

Europe 18-JUN-2020 Calls for cooperation as online child sex abuse soars in Europe
Europe 30-MAR-2020 COVID-19: Organised crime group 'adapting' with 'new crime trends', Interpol warns
France 02-APR-2020 French police fear crime spike as they tackle coronavirus enforcement
France 31-MAR-2020 France Is Putting Domestic Abuse Victims in Hotels During Coronavirus Lockdown
France 20-MAR-2020 One of the Largest Cities in France is Using Drones to Enforce Lockdown
France 19-MAR-2020 French Police Fine Over 4000 people for Violating Coronavirus Lockdown
France 17-MAR-2020

France to deploy 100,000 police to enforce coronavirus lockdown

Italy 24-MAR-2020 Italy police recycle oxygen canisters from COVID-19 victims
Italy 23-MAR-2020 Coronavirus: Italy approves use of drones to monitor social distancing
Italy 12-MAR-2020 Coronavirus Italy: Police resort to arresting quarantine violators amid COVID-19 pandemic
Spain 16-MAR-2020 Coronavirus Spy Drones Hit Europe: This Is How They’re Now Used
Turkey 08-APR-2020 Turkey to track citizens via mobile phones to enforce quarantines
United Kingdom 10-APR-2020 Northern Ireland police launch online reporting tool for Covid-19 lockdown breaches
United Kingdom 26-MAR-2020 Coronavirus: Police get new powers to enforce protection
United Kingdom

24-MAR-2020

Coronavirus: Police start stopping cars to enforce lockdown rules
United Kingdom

23-MAR-2020

Boris Johnson orders UK lockdown to be enforced by police

North & Central America

Department Resources:

Alberta Ministry of Health

Brookings What COVID-19 means for America’s child welfare system 

Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Deloitte Building resilience for police agencies in the face of COVID-19 
Hillard Heintze How Law Enforcement Agencies Can Overcome Operational Challenges During and After the COVID-19 Crisis 
Insurance Bureau of Canada 7 Insurance fraud scams to watch for

International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST)

The Justice Collaborative  COVID-19 Fact Sheet: Practices for Law Enforcement 
Lexipol Coronavirus (COVID-19) Learning & Policy Center 
The Marshal Project Our Reporting on Coronavirus 
Morrison Foerster Law Enforcement COVID-19 Guidance: Cybercrime, Scam, and Fraud Trends 
Mountain View Police Department COVID-19 Pandemic 2020 Operational Guide 
National Association of Police Organizations Coronavirus Response Updates 
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) COVID-19 Resources for Domestic Violence Organizations 
National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) Criminal Justice System Responses to COVID-19 
National Domestic Violence Hotline  Staying Safe during COVID-19
National Network to End Domestic Violence Using Technology to Communicate with Survivors During a Public Health Crisis
National Police Foundation  Coronavirus (COVID-19): Resources for Law Enforcement
Network for Public Health Law: COVID-19 Data Sharing for Public Health Surveillance, Investigation and Intervention 
Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) Responding to the COVID-19 Coronavirus 
PoliceOne Coronavirus considerations for law enforcement
Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General Ontario Takes Additional Measures to Protect First Responders During the COVID-19 Outbreak 

Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)

Rise Survivor Safe Haven
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Response to Coronavirus Disease
Springer Link
UNODC Protection guides for the National Civil Police of El Salvador
US Department of Health and Human Services– Office for Civil Rights COVID-19 and HIPAA: Disclosures to law enforcement, paramedics, other first responders and public health authorities 
US Department of Homeland Security COVID-19 Information for the First Responder Community 
US Department of Justice (South Carolina) U.S. Attorney Announces South Carolina COVID Strike Team to Combat Coronavirus Fraud 
Vancouver Police Vancouver Police response given COVID-19 precautions 
The Vera Institute of Justice Coronavirus Guidance for the Criminal and Immigration Legal Systems 
Wilson Center Pandemic of Violence: Protecting Women during COVID-19

News Articles:

Canada 27-MAY-2020 Ford says latest tech helps police vehicles neutralize COVID-19
Canada 14-MAY-2020 Coronavirus: Canadian police made 1,122 in-person quarantine checks in April
Canada 24-APR-2020 Ontario Has Given Its Police Access To People's COVID-19 Test Data
Canada 12-APR-2020 Coronavirus: Montreal police launch online system to report disobedient citizens
Canada 02-APR-2020 City bylaw officers start crackdown
Canada 24-MAR-2020 Provinces tighten freedoms, police get more powers in fight against COVID-19
Canada 24-MAR-2020 'An extreme last resort': Police reluctant to ticket, arrest COVID-19 rule-breakers
Canada 18-MAR-2020 Ontario police forces adjust non-emergency services to deal with COVID-19 pandemic
North America 08-MAY-2020 The staggering impact of COVID-19 on the American justice system
North America 07-APR-2020 How COVID-19 is changing law enforcement practices by police and by criminal groups
United States 13-JUL-2020 Compass project helps first responders focus on wellness
United States 10-JUN-2020 9/11 charity to help families of fallen COVID-19 responders with mortgage payments
United States 20-MAY-2020 US policing after wave one of COVID-19
United States 18-MAY-2020 LA police wants to test everyone it arrests for COVID-19
United States 13-MAY-2020 Law Enforcement Uses Video App to Respond From a Distance
United States 08-MAY-2020 Police get e-bikes to address increased crime during coronavirus 
United States 30-APR-2020 Public Health and Public Safety: The Critical Role of Police During the COVID-19 Crisis 
United States APR-2020 The military, policing, and COVID-19
United States 23-APR-2020 Policing In The Time Of COVID-19: How Departments Across The Country Are Coping With New And Unique Challenges
United States 22-APR-2020 Hyattsville Program Helps Officers Disinfect After Shift
United States 08-APR-2020 Police academy to close, offer accelerated online training
United States 02-APR-2020 Enforcing the shutdown: Law enforcement grapples with policing stay-at-home orders, social distancing, quarantines
United States 30-MAR-2020 Ald. Matt O’Shea Talks Police Safety, Community Response to COVID-19
United States 27-MAR-2020 A New Beat for Police Across US: Enforcing Social Distance
United States 23-MAR-2020 More police are getting coronavirus, that could be bad news for public safety in the US
United States 20-MAR-2020 Atlanta police to skip vacations, nonessential calls amid outbreak
United States 24-MAR-2020 Phoenix police to decrease arrests for nonviolent crimes, chief says

General Global Resources

Bloomberg Philanthropies Bloomberg Philanthropies Launches New Virtual Leadership Series to Support Mayors’ COVID-19 Response in Latin America and Africa
Brookings Preventing violent extremism during and after the COVID-19 pandemic
ControlRisks The impact of COVID-19 on kidnapping and extortion risks 
FireRescue1 COVID-19: How public safety companies are assisting the frontline pandemic response 

Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC)

Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX)  Data Responsibility in the COVID-19 Response
Inter-Agency Standing Committee
International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Global Policing Symposium May 2020 Summary Report_0.pdf
INTERPOL
Israeli National Police The Fight Against the Coronavirus: A Social Distancing Enforcement Strategy
ITUNews In the response to COVID-19, children are key and part of the solution
Journal of Community Safety & Wellbeing Policing during COVID-19: Another day, another crisis Policing during COVID
Microsoft Disrupting and defending against COVID-19 themed cybercrime
PoliceOne 5 ways police drones could assist COVID-19 response 
PwC Rising to the policing challenge of COVID-19: Looking beyond the crisis 
Oscar Kilo Wellbeing & Tech in COVID times
United Nations (UN)
World Health Organization (WHO)
   

 

If you are a police leader for an agency/organization located outside of the United States and have COVID-19 resources that you would like to share with the global policing community, please contact Project Manager Madeline Sloan at [email protected].

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