Police department hit by coronavirus

14 members affected

The novel coronavirus has hit the Elyria Police Department as multiple employees have tested positive.

“It’s officers and civilians,” said Elyria police Chief Duane Whitely. “We have people who have tested positive, and people whose family members have tested positive.

“It’s 14 total officers and civilians that fall under those two; either they have tested positive or a family member has. Yes, those affected are taking the time off, but they’re at various stages.

“Some have come back to work, or others are starting to come back ... they didn’t all test positive at once.”

Whitely said the Police Department felt COVID-19 could hit employees based on information from Lorain County Public Health.

“From what we got from the health commissioner (Dave Covell) from the very beginning, we got the feeling it would happen this way because he said people can pass this thing on without even knowing they have it themselves for several days,” the chief said. “That’s what makes this so difficult to control, because they don’t know they have it.

“It’s 14 total officers and civilians that fall under those two; either they have tested positive or a family member has. Yes, those affected are taking the time off, but they’re at various stages.” — Elyria police Chief Duane Whitely

“When they say they don’t feel well, they will stay home, of course. But, a couple days prior, if I understand the health commissioner correctly, they

were able to pass this on without even knowing it.

“We follow the health commissioner’s guidelines and follow what he says.”

Whitely said the positive tests have not affected the Police Department’s rotation.

“No, not at this time,” he said. “Anytime when

you have even a couple of people out, it’s going to affect you; it will create overtime.”

Whitely said the Police Department made some changes when the pandemic was announced to prevent the spread.

“We made a lot of changes in March on how

to do things,” he said. “We are handling more responses over the phone.

“Things that don’t require officers on scene (nonviolent crimes), we will handle over the phone. In the past, we would have always just driven to a home or business and done a face-to-face.”