Police chiefs in Miami, Pinecrest both recovering after positive tests for coronavirus
When Miami’s police chief announced Friday that he had tested positive for COVID-19, it marked at least the second chief in Miami-Dade County to admit publicly to have contracted the virus.
Pinecrest Police Chief Samuel Ceballos Jr., tested positive for the quickly-spreading virus on April 6 after acquiring a minor cough. A second test for the virus last week turned out negative. Pinecrest Village Manager Yocelyn Galiano Gomez said Monday that Ceballos would need one more negative test before returning to work.
“He was isolated a few weeks ago,” the manager said.
Pinecrest has about 50 full-time sworn police officers and Galiano Gomez said that every officer who has been tested has been negative.
On Friday, Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina said he tested positive for the deadly contagion that as of Monday had taken almost 800 lives in Florida and infected almost 26,000 people throughout the state. Over the weekend the chief was said to be at home resting comfortably with “mild symptoms.”
The department’s 1,800 sworn and civilian employees are now being led by Deputy Police Chief Ron Papier. Miami Police Spokesman Michael Vega said 17 of the employees are recovering after testing positive and another 53 are home in self-isolation either awaiting results or because of concerns they came in contact with an infected person.
Miami police were one of the first agencies to feel the affects of the virus, when the city had to place it’s entire motorcycle unit in self-isolation over a month ago after several members of a Brazilian diplomatic corps visiting South Florida tested positive. The motorcycle unti had been escorting the Brazilian group throughout South Florida.
Then on March 13, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez became the first mayor of a major city to test positive for the disease. That forced Colina, 53, and others to self-quarantine, though the chief tested negative at the time. Suarez has since recovered and resumed his regular duties.
This story was originally published April 20, 2020 at 11:20 AM.
