Cape Girardeau PD Announces Protocol Changes

In an effort to mitigate the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) The Cape Girardeau Police Department will be following modified protocols in regards to our calls for service. Our officers will continue to respond to “in progress” calls for service while all non-emergency and routine business calls will be handled over the telephone. These calls will still be investigated and handled in accordance to our usual high standard of service.

When a call for service warrants an officer’s response, our Communications Unit will ask all callers a brief series of basic screening questions in an effort to safeguard against exposure to responding officers. The response to these answers will not exclude a caller from receiving services or from having an officer respond, they will only allow the officer the opportunity to take necessary safety precautions if necessary.

We also request that the general public refrain from traveling to the Police Department and instead, make every attempt to report any incident via telephone (573-335-6621). The Cape Girardeau Police Department has cancelled all civic meetings, public programs, department tours, and we have also suspended additional services including car seat inspections and installations. The Cape Girardeau Municipal Jail is also suspending all inmate visitations with the exception of attorney-client visitations until further notice.

It is the mission of the Cape Girardeau Police Department to continue to function at its same high standard of service. These modified protocols are in place to protect our officers so that they may continue to serve this community without interruption and they are also in place to protect the public and effectively diminish the spread of COVID-19 throughout the community.

We greatly appreciate your understanding and your cooperation. We want our community to know that we are actively evolving with this situation and we intend to remain unwavering in our dedication to serve and protect this community.

Sergeant Joey Hann
Training and Public Information Unit
Cape Girardeau Police Department
Phone: 573-339-6621, EXT.1257
Fax: 573-837-4747
jhann@cityofcape.org