Philadelphia Police Officers Told To Wear Mask, Cloth Covering Due To Pandemic

Matt Petrillo reports.

WE'RE TOLD THE TRAILER IS PARTOF CONTINGENCY PLAN IN CASETHERE IS A SURGE OF DEATHS.THE BATTLE AGAINST THEVIRUS PHILADELPHIA POLICEOFFICERS HAVE NEW DIRECTIVEFROM THE CITY POLICECOMMISSIONER."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTERMATT PETRILLO AT POLICEHEADQUARTERS THIS EVENING WITHTHE STORY.MATT?UKEE, PHILADELPHIA POLICEMUST NOW WEAR FACE MASKS TOPROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEPUBLIC."EYEWITNESS NEWS" WAS INKINGSESSING, WHERE POLICE WEREINVESTIGATING A DOUBLESHOOTING OVERNIGHT.IF YOU TAKE LOOK, YOU CAN SEE,MANY OFFICERS THERE ALREADYWEARING FACE MASKS, BUT IF YOUTAKE A CLOSER LOOK, SOME WERENOT WEARING THEM PROPERLY.WE FOUND SOME NOT COVERINGTHEIR NOSES, OTHERS WEREUPSIDE DOWN, SO WE TALKED TOTHE CITY POLICE COMMISSIONERABOUT THAT THIS MORNING.STARTED DISTRIBUTING THEMYESTERDAY.THEN THE GUIDELINES GOT PUSHEDOUT AFTER THE FACT.SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THISSTUFF WE'RE KIND OF DOING ONTHE FLY AS EQUIPMENT AVAILSITSELF OR AS NEW ISSUES A RISE, YOU KNOW, THE IDEALSITUATION IS TO BE ABLE TOPUSH OUT GUIDELINES FIRST.AND THEN DISSEMINATE ORDISTRIBUTE THE EQUIPMENT, BUT,YOU KNOW, GIVEN A WE'VE BEENDEALING WITH IT, HASN'T ALWAYSBEEN PERFECT.REPORT THAT'S NEW DIRECTIVECOMES AFTER LIEUTENANT JAMESWALKER PASSED AWAY SUNDAYNIGHT FROM COVID-19 COME CAKESCENTS.MEANTIME SOURCES TELL US ATLEAST 50 MEMBERS OF THEPHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENTWERE DIAGNOSED WHEN COVID-19.REPORTING LIVE AT PHILLY