In an attempt to promote officer safety, police departments in several major cities ordered officers on Sunday to begin patrolling in pairs, hours after three cops in Baton Rouge, La. were gunned down in what is being called an "ambush."
While reminding its officers to remain extra vigilant over police radios, the Boston Police Department announced the command to patrol in pairs publicly on Twitter:
The BPD took a similar precaution following the shooting in Dallas, Texas earlier this month during which five policemen were slain.
According to a report by ABC News, the New York Police Department sent this message out to its officers:
There are to be no solo foot posts citywide. All uniform members of service shall arrive and remain on post together. All meals and personal breaks will also be taken in pairs. If the assigned post is considered integral to your command operations and you feel it should not be left unmanned during meal breaks, have that post back-filled. Police Officers on patrol should maintain a heightened level of awareness.
The report went on to say that Chicago police were also ordered to patrol in pairs, while WGNO reported that New Orleans police were told to not respond to any calls unless they were accompanied by another officer.
"This is a tough time, we’ll feel the effects of it for a while, NOPD Chief Michael Harrison told reporters. "These officers need to feel safe. This will last until we feel we don’t need it anymore."
It is unclear how long these safeguards will remain in place, but with two serious attacks on police only 10 days apart, law enforcement nationwide should be on high alert for at least the next several weeks.