At least ten District 5 Milwaukee Police officers test positive for coronavirus

Update: 4:31 p.m.

The Milwaukee Police Department shared this statement after John Mercure’s report:

As of May 7, 2020, 36 Milwaukee Police Department members have tested positive for COVID-19. Many of those members have fully recovered and have returned to work, while others remain under self-quarantine.

Currently, our officers respond to over 500 known COVID-19 positive locations each week, in addition to countless traffic stops, citizen contacts and other interactions with the public that place our members at significant risk of contracting the virus. 

For the safety of our members and for the safety of the public, the Milwaukee Police Department is actively working with other city departments, including the Milwaukee Health Department and the Milwaukee Fire Department, to facilitate testing for our members. Due to current limitations on testing capacities, MPD prioritized District 5 as the first location to receive testing as it is located in a heavily affected area. Our goal is to provide a test to every member of our department as additional tests become available.

All police officers are now required to wear personal protective equipment when interacting with the public. This requirement was made immediately after an adequate amount of masks was obtained through purchase and donations. As we continue to fight this pandemic together, we continue to accept N95 and KN95 mask donations and remain grateful for the community’s support. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to make a donation.

Original story: 2:19 p.m.

Ten officers with the Milwaukee Police Department on the city’s north side have tested positive for COVID-19 and are currently in quarantine, a high-ranking source in the department told John Mercure Thursday.

“They’re going to be OK, we believe,” the source told Mercure.

There are currently 30 officers quarantined because of the virus.

All ten of the officers work out of District 5. The source also said all 200 officers in the district are being tested and all squad cars being deep cleaned.

Click here to listen to WTMJ’s Wisconsin’s Afternoon News where WTMJ’s John Mercure will be giving updates. Check back for more updates on this story as they come in to us.