Law enforcement officers work to protect themselves from COVID-19

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Amid flu season and the spread of COVID-19, law enforcement officers are working to prevent the spread of germs.

Police officers, deputies and other law enforcement officers are susceptible to germs because their jobs often times require them to come in close contact with people.

"If you think about it, a law enforcement officer in a 10-hour shift is exposed, likely to be exposed to someone from every cross-section of society," said Dale Roberts from the Columbia Police Officers' Association. "They're dealing with drug users and people who are involved in at-risk activities so it's more likely that those individuals will have a compromised health system."

Roberts said coming into contact with someone who has the flu or another infectious disease can be unavoidable.

"When I read the daily reports I see the officers make quite a number of arrests where the individual being arrested resists, so the officer has to engage in a lot of bodily contact with that person," Roberts said.

Roberts said people sometimes retaliate, which can also put officers at risk. He said sometimes people spit on officers or relieve themselves in patrol vehicles.

Officers at the Columbia Police Department and deputies at the Boone County Sheriff's Department have equipment to help protect them from coming in contact with germs.

Police officers have rubber gloves they can put on if they have time to make the decision. The police department has also bought more disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer.

Deputies at the sheriff's department are encouraged to avoid shaking hands and stay home if they are sick. They also work to keep equipment like handcuffs sanitized.

Roberts said, to his knowledge, training has not changed in response to COVID-19.

"They've had issues like since AIDS came about 20 years ago, flu, every other, you know, communicable disease that goes by officers have to deal with that," he said.

Roberts said city leaders are continuously talking about what can be done to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and communicating with officers to use cleaning supplies as much as needed.

"The rest of us can avoid, and are being told, 'Avoid situations, stay home, don't go to the mall,' whatever. Not an option," Roberts said.