Cocoa police officer tests positive for COVID-19

Agency says officer is recovering well at home

COCOA, Fla. – A Cocoa police officer has tested positive for COVID-19, according to the agency.

The officer, whose name has not been released, works patrol and has been with the department for at least a decade, Florida Today reported. He was tested for COVID-19 Friday, and the results were returned Sunday, when the police chief was notified, authorities said.

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“The department is following all CDC guidelines for contact tracing, testing and continuity of operations and additional safety measures include pre-screening all employees with temperature checks,” the agency said in a statement.

Cocoa police said officers and employees are required to wear masks and gloves as needed when in public, while also adhering to social distancing guidelines.

The officer’s case is the only one confirmed among employees of the police department and the city, officials said.

“We are thankful that the officer is doing well and recovering at home,” Cocoa Police Chief Mike Cantaloupe said. “We want to make sure we continue to follow all the guidelines to prevent the spread of this virus and we strongly encourage everyone to do the same in order to reduce the risk for every person.”

All city facilities are closed to the public and access is only by appointment. The police department is still operational.

The case is the first reported involving a police officer in Brevard County. Another officer in Palm Bay was placed on a 14-day quarantine last week after a woman who said she had coronavirus spat in his face and coughed repeatedly, police reported.

As of Monday evening, there were more than 21,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in Florida, including 148 in Brevard County. There have been six deaths related to the virus in Brevard, according to state health records.


About the Author:

Daniel started with WKMG-TV in 2000 and became the digital content manager in 2009. When he's not working on ClickOrlando.com, Daniel likes to head to the beach or find a sporting event nearby.

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