BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

It will be ” all hands on deck” for Los Alamos Police Department officer should Los Alamos County at any stage evacuate due to the Cerro Pelado Fire, according to Deputy Chief Oliver Morris.

LAPD’s plan in the event of an evacuation is to immediately have double patrols day and night in Los Alamos and White Rock. Officers will assist with the orderly evacuation of residents and then enter into a security phase, Morris said.

“We had no burglaries during the Las Conchas Fire evacuation and our goal is to have the same thing during this fire,” he said. “We will be keeping people out of the community who have no reason to be here.”

Morris recommends locking exterior doors at residences to keep them secured. He also recommends that if a vehicle is being left behind, it should be parked in a driveway or on private property where possible to avoid congestion of narrower streets in the community.

LAPD officers will also assist with re-entry into the community which is expected to be phased.