"ATTENTION! Due to the extremely frigid conditions, tomorrow Kettering Police Department is canceling ALL criminal activity. However, our jail is still open and is a balmy 72 degrees and would be a perfect time to turn yourself in for any warrants and/or any other criminal activity you may have committed," the post on the department's Facebook page said before the bitter cold of Wednesday and Thursday.
The post also stated that the department is “offering free transportation for any who want to take advantage of this offer.”
MORE: Kelly & Ryan give shoutout to Kettering police for ‘canceling all crime’ due to cold
The department received mention Thursday on the Live with Kelly and Ryan show, which airs on WHIO-TV. The segment, which lasted about a minute and 15 seconds, drew laughs from the studio audience.
Officer Joe Ferrell said the post was the brainchild of chief Chip Protsman.
“Have to give all credit to our chief as he came to me with it and we decided to run with it,” Ferrell said. “So far, its reached 680,000 people with over 9,000 shares. The New York Post also called this morning just to see if anyone took us up on our offer.”
Ferrell said there’s no data to show if the post has helped deter crime, but if it does help that would be a good thing.
MORE: Dangerous temps, wind chills today; Wind Chill Warning remains in effect
“That’s the idea,” he said.
A follow-up post said that "Jack Frost" turned himself in.
The post read:
“A key player in this polar vortex movement has decided to come in out of the cold and turn himself in. Jack Frost took it upon himself to contact Kettering Police and arranged his surrender. Frost has been a shaker and a mover in the cold snap and had active warrants for Polar Vor-Texting.”
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