TAMPA, Fla — A Tampa Police officer has tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus.
Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan said he’s a 26-year-old new hire whose last day at work was March 15. Dugan said the department is monitoring officers for possible exposure.
Thirty are in quarantine, and 10 of them are showing symptoms of the virus. Thirty-eight others are still being monitored by the police departments occupational nurse.
Dugan said several officers have traveled internationally.
“This is a public health issue that has bled over into law enforcement,” Dugan said Wednesday on Facebook Live. “There is no way cops can do their jobs without potentially being exposed to this virus.”
Dugan said three officers who are in quarantine performed CPR Tuesday night on someone who later died.
Since that person’s cause of death is unexplained right now, those three officers are in quarantine while they wait on the person’s COVID-19 test results.
“Those three officers can’t come to work. Lord knows what they’re exposing to their families at home. But this is the sacrifice that people are making. These officers exposed themselves potentially to this virus trying to save someone else’s life,” said Dugan during his Facebook Live.
A public information officer tells 10News the department is still doing OK on staffing for now.
The Tampa Police Department has more than 1,000 sworn law enforcement officers, which means roughly 3 percent are in quarantine.
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