Total positives (red dots) and deaths (black dots) | Daily reported positive cases | Fast Face Mask: With Bandana/Woven Cloth + 2 Rubber Bands |
(May 8, 2020, 7:20 a.m.) -- A third LBPD officer has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
A single paragraph in the City's May 7 routine daily update states: "An additional LBPD officer has tested positive. The officer works in the East Patrol Division. The officer was asymptomatic and was tested as a part of the recently expanded testing options for first responders. The officer is at home in self-isolation. The officer is a Long Beach resident and is included in the total case count for the city. All facilities and equipment used by the employee have been deep cleaned and sanitized." A few days earlier, a South Division LBPD officer with symptoms tested positive. It's not immediately clear when or how the latest officers became infected (at work or elsewhere) or how many of the officers' co-workers (who may have had close-contact with the officer) are currently quarantined and thus out of service and unavailable for deployment among LBPD's thin officer level. (LB's Council incumbents have failed to restore roughly 180 officers LB taxpayer had but no longer have despite a $60 million annual cash infusion (prior to COVID-19) from the 2016 Measure A sales tax increase.) It's also not clear how many LBPD officers have been tested thus far. As previously reported by LBREPORT.com, on March 27, LBPD reported one West Division police officer had tested positive for COVID-19.
On April 9, a 26-year LBPD officer, Mary Covarubias, voiced her concern about a lack of protective devices for LBPD officers in a Fox News report. On April 12 (a day after a LB Health Dept. order began requiring LB residents to wear face masks in contacts with others), LBREPORT.com reported LBPD's official statement on protective measures for its officers; we also noted that the presidents of LB's police and firefighter unions had failed to respond to our requests for comment on the issue (affecting their members and ultimately taxpayers.) The two unions, through their respective PACs, were the two largest financial contributors to a Mayor-run campaign for 2016 Measure A sales tax increase, a General Fund ("blank check") measure that freed up other General Fund sums used by city management and the Council for multiple spending items including raises in the police and firefighter unions' contracts.)
On April 13, Steve Downing bylined qa story in the Beachcomber sharply critical of LBPD management and the Long Beach Police Officers Ass'n (union) leadership, alleging their neglect on the issue. A second story (just published) by Mr. Downing criticizes the City Council's "Public Safety Committee" (chair Suzie Price, vice chair Daryl Supernaw, member Al Austin) for not addressing the issue. The Committee, which last met on Sept. 4, 2019, is scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. today (May 8) and its agenda doesn't include discussion of the issue..
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