As a result of the coronavirus, things are a little more on high alert than usual. “It might be a bit more common to see tensions flare as a result of the economy tanking, fear, and the lack of necessities in the supermarket like toilet paper,” says Nicholas Corso Algonquin, a veteran police officer for the Village of Algonquin in Illinois. “We have got to keep cool and maintain a straight head when dealing with these problems.”
No neophyte to stressful situations and confrontations, Nicholas Corso Algonquin has been part of the Village of Algonquin police department for the last two decades. “When it comes to on-street confrontations, I have seen my fair share of issues. At the end of the day, it is important to understand that this will happen at a greater frequency so you need to be on higher alert at certain times of the day and in certain locations,” Nicholas Corso Algonquin continues.
When asked how he would deal with what is going on, Nicholas Corso Algonquin mentions that it must be dealt with by a case by case basis. “You need to see what is happening in the environment around you before you make a decision.” As a result, Nicholas Corso Algonquin is proud to offer his three tips on how to deal with heightened tensions. “Thanks to my years of experience, I’m happy to offer anything that I can in moments like this and the current environment.”
Tip 1: Always Take Stock of Where You Are and What Time It Is
“Sometimes you’ll go somewhere that is completely safe during the day time but can be a location for seedier characters in the night,” Nicholas Corso Algonquin says. “We had this one area that was near a bowling alley that would be a hot spot for youth dealing drugs. Now with an economy that is clearly not as strong as it once was, that location has become a much stronger area for potential criminal activities that we have to be more cognizant of in the community.”
Tip 2: Make Sure You Keep Calm
“We have gotten more phone calls from supermarkets about people fighting over goods in the supermarket in the past month than we’ve gotten over the past few years,” Nicholas Corso Algonquin says. As a result, supermarket security officers have to break up situations that could become a bigger deal than what they truly are. “Make sure you keep a cool head when you do your shopping. If you can’t pick up that bunch of toilet paper at one location, check another one. Nothing is worth getting into a fight over in a supermarket. Trust me.”
Tip 3: Your Officers Have Your Best Interests In Mind
As a result of the crisis, everyone has gone on high alert including police officers. “We’ve been preparing for things to go wrong because that is what our bread and butter is on a daily basis. Trust that your local officers have your back and are doing their best to keep things from falling down into a state of anarchy,” Nicholas Corso Algonquin says. “Our number one goal is to keep people safe and if that includes enforcing social distancing measures, then we are up to the task.”
As a trained law enforcement officer, Nicholas Corso Algonquin is working to protect the people in his own jurisdiction but hopes that “people can learn to protect themselves”. By taking stock of your own surroundings and environment, keeping a cool head, and trusting your law enforcement, citizens can do just that.
