Police Bulletins

Police Department Briefs www.ofallon.mo.us/PD

O’Fallon Police keep the community connected

The O’Fallon Police Department did its part to keep staff and citizens as healthy as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department instituted physical health checks for each employee as they arrive for a shift, provided masks for officers to wear on calls, and began meeting citizens outside instead of going into their homes as they respond to non-emergent calls. Additionally, the Department’s use of social media has been spreading positivity and healthy messages throughout the community and beyond.

During the first week of school closures, Public Information Officer Tony Michalka noticed parents trying to balance working from home while trying to educate and engage their children at home. The Department invited area families to have their kids send in police-themed drawings to be posted on their Facebook page with the hashtag #KeepThemBusy. “We are simply trying to do our part to help parents during this stressful time” he told KSDK. “If we can provide just 20 minutes of relief and fun for the child, then we’ve done our part.” In addition to local news coverage, the story was featured on national platforms including CNN and Fox and Friends. The number of submissions to #KeepThemBusy grew quickly, and some drawings are still coming in. Visit Facebook.com/ofallonpolice to see all the young artists’ work that was shared.

The creativity did not stop with police drawings. As local news outlets shared in March, the #TogetherOFallon movement spread its message of hope across area sidewalks and driveways. The hashtag reminds us that we are in this together.

While creativity is a great outlet to help some cope during these unique times, physical activity is another way many are finding a sense of normalcy and improving their overall well-being. The Police Department recognized this and teamed up with the Renaud Center to stream “Workout with a Cop” sessions twice a week via Facebook Live. Police officers, six-feet away from fitness specialist Ty Joyce from the Renaud Center, demonstrate workouts that can be done from home with little to no equipment. The workouts are less than 30-minutes each and air Tuesday and Thursday at 11:30 a.m. Previously posted workouts can be viewed at Facebook.com/ofallonpolice, including some friendly banter between officers and the news team at KSDK.

As students finished up the school year with online learning and virtual meetings with teachers and classmates, O’Fallon Police DARE officers adapted to new ways of teaching as well. They provided online videos of their remaining DARE lessons for area fifth graders, helping them write essays and earn their DARE graduation certificates.

Get emergency notices from O’Fallon’s emergency notification system

Get texts, emails or phone calls about emergencies, law enforcement alerts and more with City’s emergency notification system. The service is free to all O’Fallon residents. If you are not already registered, submit your information on the City’s website at www.ofallon.mo.us. The process takes just five minutes or less.

In addition to emergency and other notifications such as boil advisories and road closures, the system allows residents to sign up for weather alerts and other customized information and alerts.

Socializing with your O’Fallon Police Department

Did you know you can connect with the O’Fallon Police Department on social media? Follow us on one of the platforms below, and you’ll get a taste of the police work that goes on throughout our community. You might laugh a little; you will learn a lot. More importantly, it can keep you informed about important situations in real time and provide reminders for general safety.

Facebook: @ofallonpolice

Instagram: @ofallon_police

Twitter: @ofallonpolice