Ky. Sheriff Asks Residents to 'Stop All Criminal Activity Until Further Notice' Due to Coronavirus

A sheriff's department with a sense of humor took to Facebook with some advice for would-be criminals

Photo: Powell County Sheriff's Office/Facebook

Though laughter can’t cure everything, it can help people cope in the midst of uncertainty — which is what one Kentucky sheriff’s department is trying to do right now.

“Due to the coronavirus, the sheriff’s department is asking that all criminal activities stop until further notice,” the Powell County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post on Thursday, the Lexington Herald Leader reports.

Powell County Sheriff's Office/Facebook

“Thank you for your anticipated cooperation in the matter. We will update you when we deem it’s appropriate to proceed with yo bad selves.”

Like the rest of the world, Kentucky residents are on edge because of the spread of COVID-19.

The post gave people a much-needed break from the tension.

“Sure needed a good laugh during this anxiety attack during this horrible time,” Brittany Renee Trejo commented under the post.

“Great Post and great sense of humor!” wrote Rob Koons.

Powell County Sheriff’s Deputy John Edwards wrote the post to help his community get through this tough time.

“Right now, people don’t know what’s going on,” his colleague, Deputy Eddie Barnes, tells PEOPLE.

“We’re taking this very seriously, but we thought a little bit of humor would help out too,” he says.

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The pandemic is affecting most of the nation, including Kentucky.

On Friday, Governor Andy Beshear announced that 21 people in Kentucky in 7 counties had tested positive for the disease, local station LEX18 reports.

On Monday, Kentucky officials announced that one of the patients had died – the first COVID-19 fatality in the state, the outlet reports.

Public events in the area are also being canceled and postponed because the virus is so contagious.

As members of law enforcement, Barnes says, “We’re taking more precautions. We’re washing hands more, sneezing into our shirts and trying to minimize interactions with people.”

Powell County is made up of about 20,000 residents, he says.

“We’re a little county,” he says. “Everybody knows everybody.”

As soon as he read what Edwards’ post, he says, he laughed — and he knew it might help others do the same. “A little bit of humor goes a long way.”