Police confirm 170 staff in self-isolation as three more officers test positive this week
About 140 police and 30 protective services officers are in self-isolation across the state after coming into contact with people suspected of having COVID-19 as more officers continue to become infected.
Three more police officers have tested positive for COVID-19 this week, with two new cases identified at the Frankston police station taking its total number of positive cases to four.
Police say more than 60 officers from Frankston station have since been stood down from duty and placed into self-isolation after coming into contact with positive cases.
A police spokesman said the two Frankston officers that tested positive for COVID-19 this week were notified of their result on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.
It comes as an officer from Werribee police station also tested positive to the virus on Tuesday.
To date, 43 members from the Werribee station, including front-line officers and detectives, have entered self-isolation and are being tested as a precaution in accordance with health advice.
"Contact tracing is continuing to be undertaken to establish if any further Victoria Police officers had contact with the infected officers during the past 14 days," the spokesman said.
"Victoria Police will work closely with the Department of Health and Human Services in an effort to determine how the officers became infected."
The force has ordered all officers to wear masks while working, including inside police stations, in an attempt to stop the virus spreading between employees.
Newly appointed Chief Commissioner Shane Patton told radio station 3AW on Thursday that the current number of police officers unable to work due to close contact with virus carriers was worrying.
"It's a concern for us there is no doubt about that," he said.
Another officer from Swan Hill, who was also placed into self-isolation after a close family member tested positive for the virus, has since tested negative.
All three stations have since undergone cleaning.
At the time, police said additional officers were being brought in from other locations to ensure there was no impact on the number of police on the ground.
Victoria Police has not revealed the total number of officers who have had to self-quarantine since the pandemic began.
An officer from Werribee police station tested positive two weeks ago, with six colleagues going into self-isolation.
In March, Ringwood police station was briefly closed for cleaning after an officer was found to have COVID-19. Two others also self-isolated because of close contact with the officer that tested positive.
On Wednesday, staff statewide received an email directing them to wear masks as the number of positive cases in lockdown areas continued to grow.
In a statement to The Age on Wednesday night, police said staff had been advised to wear face masks within controlled Victoria Police workplaces where physical distancing cannot be maintained, including where no contact with the public occurs.
The face masks will be supplied by Victoria Police.
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