EPHRATA — Staffing shortages and additional demands on department resources have led the Grant County Sheriff’s Office to make changes in the way GCSO communicates emergency information. Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman said the program will be scaled back. 

“We’re going to go with a more basic approach rather than real-time emergency information,” Foreman said. 

Sheriff Joey Kriete wrote in a release that information on incidents that occur during regular business hours won’t be affected. For the PIO, that’s 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday. 

After business hours, on weekends and holidays, GCSO will be distributing less information, Kriete said.  

“The Field Operations Division may handle all-hazards emergency public information and social media engagement if they are not busy with police-related incidents,” Kriete said. “Field operations are policing only, so non-police incidents such as fires and mass casualty incidents are a lesser priority and may not be covered.” 

Foreman said the department will continue to provide a good experience using GCSO’s social media channels and area residents should still have a good user experience when looking to Facebook for information.  

GCSO was distributing information about fires and other incidents in the county, but that will be substantially reduced or unavailable after business hours. Emergency text messages will still be distributed, Kriete said, but no other information will be available after business hours.  

“Our goal is to maintain only policing, lifesaving and legally-mandated services during nights, weekends and holidays,” Kriete said.  

The GCSO will continue to be transparent about what the public can expect, he said.