Police across Minnesota are asking state authorities to share with them the location of people infected with COVID-19 to prevent the virus' spread among first responders and the public.
The state's three largest professional law enforcement associations — the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, the Minnesota Sheriffs' Association and the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association — appealed directly to Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm.
"Sadly, each day our associations are receiving more reports of peace officers testing positive for the virus, presenting symptoms of COVID-19 or self-quarantining after coming in contact with Minnesotans on routine calls-for-service," the three groups jointly wrote Malcolm in an April 1 letter. "More troubling perhaps is the fact that law enforcement could have essential healthcare information that would allow them to better prepare for these encounters, limit their exposure to the deadly virus and contain the spread of COVID-19 …"
Andy Skoogman, executive director of the police chiefs association, said that a survey last week of all police and sheriffs' offices yielded 229 responses.
Of the agencies reporting, 15% had officers who self-quarantined with COVID-19 symptoms. About 10% said that was due to officers coming into contact with someone who tested positive or someone awaiting test results, Skoogman said.
Exact numbers were not available, including actual infections among officers; at least two St. Paul police officers have been infected.
Department of Health spokesman Doug Schultz said the agency is working "intensively" with the Department of Public Safety on the matter.
"The situation is not an easy one to resolve, as Minnesota has strong privacy protection laws, but our first responders face the challenge of limited personal protective equipment," Schultz said.