Press release from City of Asheville:
In an effort to ensure the highest safety for our police officers and Asheville Police Department (APD) personnel, as well as decrease the chances for the spread of COVID-19 within our community, all APD buildings, including the Municipal Building and all district resource centers, will close to the public effective immediately.
This action is aligned with Asheville’s March 19 amended State of Emergency proclamation, based on the public health emergency posed by COVID-19.
It also comes following Buncombe County’s March 22 announcement that there are now three known cases of COVID-19 in Buncombe County residents and one COVID-19 case associated with a traveler to Buncombe County.
Nationwide and locally, including in Asheville, the top priority is to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and avoid overwhelming our healthcare network. And that is primarily being done through social distancing measures.
The City of Asheville continues to coordinate its response with Buncombe County and State health officials. Toward that end, City Hall and other municipal buildings were closed to the public as of March 17. Employees who are able to complete their work offsite during this COVID-19 public health emergency are working remotely in a telecommuting mode. Staff have remote access to hold meetings, respond to phone calls and emails.
All essential police, fire, sanitation, transit and water services are being maintained as we continue to serve and protect this community.
If you are experiencing an emergency dial 9-1-1. If you need to file a police report or speak with an officer, you can contact the non-emergency number at 828-252-1110. In addition, there are a wide variety of resources available on our website at www.ashevillenc.gov/police.
This is an evolving situation and information is often changing. For resources on prevention best practices and news updates, visit Buncombe Ready. Guidance is also posted on the Buncombe County Health & Human Services website.
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