Not The Onion: Lansing Michigan police won't be responding in-person to most property crimes due to coronavirus

LANSING Michigan— Lansing police officers will not respond in-person to most property and financial crimes until further notice due to COVID-19. 

In order to protect officers and community members during the COVID-19 outbreak, LPD will not respond in-person to take reports on the following crimes: 

• Larceny, malicious destruction of property and retail frauds with no suspect or evidence, or where the value is under $1,000

• Attempted breaking and entering of unoccupied buildings, including garages and foreclosed houses

• Identification thefts where the victim was not financially harmed or the financial institution has reimbursed the victim for the loss

• Fraud of unauthorized credit card use when the venue of the crime is outside Lansing

• Harassing communications

• Lost property

Dispatch will direct the community to complete property crime reports online, using the LPD application or by telephone. All crimes will still be investigated. 

Police will still respond in-person to all calls involving violent crime. 

Lansing Police Department released a new application where community members can submit tips and receive crime alerts. It also allows people to file a police report.
Lansing Police Department released a new application where community members can submit tips and receive crime alerts. It also allows people to file a police report. (Photo: Courtesy of Lansing Police Department)

The LPD application can be found in the app store by searching "Lansing Police." The app gives crime alerts, event notices and allows the community to submit real time tips. Users can also chat anonymously with an LPD employee. 

Residents can also use the Lansing Connect application to report non-emergency issues to city officials. Reports on disabled vehicles, parking complaints, trash complaints, streets and traffic and pedestrian signals can be submitted there.

FLU MORE DEADLY THAN THE CORONA VIRUS

So far the Flu has been more deadly than the coronavirus. 

Flu activity across the U.S. has increased over the last three weeks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.

Flu was widespread in Puerto Rico and 48 states. In Hawaii, Oregon, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the outbreaks were less active. (Source: CDC)
Rates among children and young adults remain higher than in recent flu seasons.

A total of 78 influenza-associated deaths in children have been reported so far this season. That’s an increase of 14 since last week’s report.

The CDC estimates that so far this season there have been at least 12,000 deaths, 22 million illnesses and 210,000 hospitalizations from flu.

Flu was widespread in Puerto Rico and 48 states. In Hawaii, Oregon, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the outbreaks are less active..

It takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop and provide protection against the flu after your vaccination.

The CDC said it expects flu season to continue through February.