As snow blankets the city, the Norwood Police Department has taken to social media to inform residents of a Level 2 Snow Emergency declared across Hamilton County. In a practical move to keep the community safe and police resources focused where most needed, the department advises on Facebook for drivers involved in non-injury accidents to simply exchange information rather than call for immediate police report filing.
Under the snow-laden skies, the police implore citizens to use their own judgement in these lesser accidents, suggesting that reporting can wait for another day when the flurries settle and the roads clear, the department's message clear as the fresh fallen snow, "Reports can be completed at a later time if needed." It seems that the officers, encumbered by the extra layers and duties this weather heaps upon them, see in their constituents a capacity for self-reliance, albeit temporarily.
Level 2 of a Snow Emergency represents significant disruptions to transportation and daily life, with road conditions deemed hazardous and non-essential travel discouraged. This kind of emergency calls for citizens to hunker down and minimize exposure to the elements, a public safety emphasis the Norwood Police Department mirrors in their announcement.
