Benicia police officer tests positive for COVID-19
Police say they have not yet determined how the officer became infected.
(Graphic by Solano News Update)
An officer with the Benicia Police Department tested positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19 over the weekend, a spokesperson for the agency confirmed on Monday.
The officer, whose name was not identified by the agency, is in self-isolation at home after testing positive for the virus on Sunday.
Agency officials say they aren’t sure how the officer contracted the virus and are assisting county health officials with contact tracing to find out what happened and who might have been exposed.
The Benicia Police Department is currently testing all officers and other city staff who may have come into contact with the infected officer.
Mike Greene, the city’s chief of police, determined the officer did not directly expose anyone in the community prior to their diagnosis on Sunday, though he didn’t say how that determination was made beyond the agency’s own policy and recommendations form the county’s health department.
“Our staff members are directed to abide by county protocols to limit or prevent infection among themselves and with the public,” Greene said in a statement. “Unfortunately, even with these precautions in place the nature of our work still puts our staff at a risk for infection. We want to assure the community that we are taking all steps to keep everyone safe and healthy.”
Greene said the agency remains at full capacity and there is no anticipated disruption in service to the police department’s ability to carry out its public safety duties.
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