HARTFORD, Conn. — Four Hartford police officers are being quarantined after testing positive for Coronavirus.
This comes after they returned from Spain, a country that was not on the CDC's advisory list when they left for the trip.
Mayor Luke Bronin said none of the officers showed significant symptoms so far, but Police Chief Jason Thody said they will not be allowed to return to work until they are officially cleared.
"These individuals have not been in the office, have not been at work or reporting for duty for quite a while. These members of the police department on personal time," said Bronin.
Bronin also said an off-duty police officer came in contact with one of the infected priors to receiving the test results. That officer is also quarantined and will be tested.
"We want to make sure that we have a well-staffed healthy police department and so we’re taking measures that may be above and beyond just to make sure we keep that department healthy," said Chief Thody.
Brian Foley with the State Department of Emergency Service and Public Protection has already had talks of enacting what is called a "Blue Plan."
This means if a police department is down, another police department will step in.
"It doesn’t matter what police department or where it is. We’re going to provide public safety and make sure regardless of what is happening there. Obviously Hartford did a decent job in keeping those officers off the street and keeping them aside, they had a deep bench as well," said Foley.
The Hartford Police Department has also been practicing social distancing, including roll calls. The department was deep cleaned and all cruisers are cleaned after being driven.
Also affecting Hartford starting on Friday, Mayor Bronin is limiting social gatherings to no more than ten people. Bars and restaurants have already been shut down.
"CDC guidance is now that events or gatherings of more than 10 should be cancelled and we want to reflect that CDC guidance in our own local policy. Secondly, we just really want to emphasize for folks the importance of staying away from large groups," added Bronin.
Reverend Henry Brown, a well-known voice for taking a stand against violence in the city said he has cancelled all vigils and is conducting church services from home.
"What we try to do is we try to congregate from home. We don’t try to go out in the public and come together with more than 3 or 4 people," said Rev. Brown wit Mothers United Against Violence.