The Los Angeles Police Department lost its first employee to COVID-19, department officials announced Saturday.
Senior Detention Officer Erica McAdoo died of complications from the disease Friday night, according to a tweet from the department’s official account. According to the tweet, 287 other LAPD employees are currently quarantined in their homes after being exposed to the new coronavirus.
A department spokesperson declined to say how old McAdoo was or if he had any of the underlying health conditions that are generally present in cases that become fatal.
COVID-19 cases among department employees skyrocketed in late June, prompting Chief Michel Moore to attribute at least part of the increase at the time to the “difficult conditions” officers faced during protests sparked by George Floyd’s death.
Interviewed by The Times, some protesters who were arrested and spent prolonged periods interacting with the police complained that many officers were not wearing masks. Moore said officers were instructed to wear masks whenever possible while on duty at the protests.
LAPD’s first COVID-19 death came on a grim holiday weekend, with restaurants, bars, and beaches closed again due to the alarming spread of the disease in Los Angeles County, where more than 107,660 cases were confirmed and died. more than 3,450 people. .
The McAdoo tweet said “he is survived by his beloved family.” Please keep them in your prayers.
