Three Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputies have returned to work after they were self-quarantined because of possible exposure to the COVID-19 coronavirus, Sheriff Dave Marshak said today (April 13).
Two of the deputies believed they could have been exposed to the coronavirus while performing their law enforcement duties, and the third one believed he may have been exposed during a trip to Mexico, Marshak said.
One deputy was able to return to duty April 3, another returned to work April 6 and the third returned April 8, Marshak said.
He said none of the deputies displayed symptoms related to the coronavirus while they were self-quarantined, and no other deputies needed to take that precautionary steps. He also said the deputies who were self-quarantined were not tested for the virus since they did not display symptoms.
The Sheriff’s Office has about 180 deputies, Marshak said.
“We expect more as we move forward,” Marshak said of deputies possibly encountering the virus. “We will make the adjustments necessary and move on.”
One of the deputies who was self-quarantined thought he may have been exposed to the virus while interviewing a witness March 25 at a business where a crime had occurred, Marshak said.
He would not release the name of the business or where it is located.
After the witness at the business was interviewed and filled out paperwork for the deputy, the witness told the deputy a family member had tested positive for the coronavirus. The deputy informed his superior officer about the incident, and after the department researched the witness’s name, it was discovered a different deputy had been to the person’s home days earlier because of a report of a stolen vehicle, Marshak said.
Both deputies were immediately self-quarantined because of their possible exposure to the virus, Marshak said.
He said the third deputy cut short a vacation to Mexico and remained at home for 14 days as a precaution.
