A Rockford police officer has tested positive and is recovering at home in self-isolation. In a news release, the Rockford Police Department says it was notified Thursday, April 2, that an officer tested positive for coronavirus disease. No other information is being released about the officer or the circumstances surrounding the testing or delay in announcing the diagnosis.
In the news release, police chief Dan O'Shea said, “Our people are our best asset and we will do anything and everything we can to keep them safe.”
Current guidelines for safety for Rockford police officers are quite strict: Temperatures are taken at the beginning of each shift. Then, they are required to be outfitted with N95 masks, gloves, and goggles on every service call and whenever they expect to come within six feet of the public.
Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara was also quoted in the news release as saying as the pandemic situation evolves, so will the city's procedures, following guidelines from the CDC, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and the Winnebago County Health Department.