Coronavirus Update: 3rd Santa Rosa Police Officer Tests Positive, 6 Under Self-Quarantine
SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) – Three Santa Rosa police officers have tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus and six other employees are self-quarantined, Santa Rosa Police Chief Ray Navarro said Tuesday afternoon.
One of the three officers who tested positive is a patrol officer who has limited contact with the public while at work, and another is a patrol officer assigned to a position in the department who has not had contact with the public. Both officers received medical attention and are in stable condition, Navarro said.
The third is a detective who had limited contact with the public over the past two weeks during shifts, Navarro said.
COMPLETE COVERAGE: CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Two of the officers tested positive on Friday and the third officer sought medical attention this week and tested positive Tuesday afternoon, Navarro said.
The six other employees, some officers and some civilians, self-quarantined in accordance with the department's protocol that requires employees to self-quarantine when they show signs of illness or believe they have been exposed to someone who has the coronavirus, Navarro said.
Late Tuesday, Adriane Mertens, a spokesperson for the city, said of the six in self-quarantine, one has been tested, another will be tested and four are waiting for guidance from their health provider. The result was determined to be negative for the employee who was tested.
Navarro mentioned the department's efforts that have been taken to prevent the spread of the virus: Santa Rosa police have created a team of employees to frequently sanitize "high touch" areas in the department building, and it is expected that all work stations, patrol vehicles and an officer's safety equipment will be sanitized before and after use, Navarro said.
In addition, police briefings have been shortened or canceled, trainings have been postponed and essential meetings are held by conference call or video conferencing.
The department is only staffed with essential employees and they limit face-to-face interactions when possible. There is no reduced staffing of patrol officers or dispatchers, and there will always be dispatchers who answer 911 calls, Navarro said.
There were 31 active coronavirus cases in the county as of Tuesday. One person has died and two people have recovered, according to the county's website.
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