Lavonia Police Keeping Department Lobby Open 24×7

The Lavonia Police Department lobby is now open 24×7 in an effort to provide a safe place for the food pantry and for people to get help after hours.

Several years ago, the Lavonia Police Department in conjunction with the Franklin County Middle School put a metal cabinet outside the building for people to donate food and for those who need food to pick it up.

Since then, the metal cabinet has suffered damage from the weather and was no longer useable.

This week, Lavonia Police Chief Bruce Carlisle announced a partnership with the Lavonia Church of God to provide a new food pantry inside the police department’s lobby.

“The Lavonia Church of God has a food pantry that people can use. So they’re helping me keep this (pantry) stocked up. This will allow people who need food to come in and get what they need,” Carlisle explained.

“We have partnered with the Police Department in other community efforts,”  said the Reverend Adam Tripp, Pastor at Lavonia Church of God. “And we currently have an active food ministry and distribution. So, we are proud to be able to partner with Chief Carlisle and the Police Department to make food available to those who may need it after hours.”

The food pantry is just inside the front door of the police department but help for the general public doesn’t stop there. Seeing the need for a safe place for people to come who need help after hours, Chief Carlisle has added other after-hours services inside the lobby.

In addition to the food pantry, there is now an emergency landline phone linked directly to Franklin County Dispatchers in the lobby that people can use to call for help.

“These doors are going to be open 24 hours a day. There’s a phone here that people can use. Historically, if people needed an officer after 4:30p they would have to call and wait outside for an officer. Now they can come in out of the weather. The phone dials directly to 911. All they have to do is pick it up and it goes directly to the dispatcher,” he said.

Additionally, the public will now also have access to the prescription drug drop-off bin which is inside the police department lobby 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Another plus according to Chief Carlisle is the ability for the public to have a safe place to exchange items they purchased on the Internet.

“We’ve been doing this for a number of years and that is allowing people to, once they make purchases over the Internet, to make the exchange in our parking lot. Now, they can do that inside the building in a safe environment. Their transaction will be recorded by our security camera,” he said pointing to the camera. “So, it’s a safe environment for people to buy and sell and have a safe place to do it.”

Chief Carlisle said it’s all about safety and with a security camera inside the lobby, people who need help will have that safe place to come to any time.

“Everything is based on safety. Safety of the victim where they can get to a safe place inside where everything is on security camera,” Chief Carlisle said. “And the chances of becoming a victim inside is going to be a lot less than outside. There’s not a whole lot of lighting in the parking lot outside. So, this will be lit up all of the time and just provides a safe environment for a possible victim and for citizens who need help after hours.”