Coronavirus: NSW Police officers call for priority testing, personal protection

NSW police officers are pleading with the NSW Government to provide priority COVID-19 testing and personal protection.

• Hillsong is victim of social media COVID-19 fake news
• Coronavirus: what your council can do for you

The 17,000 NSW Police officers out in force on the community front lines of the COVID-19 crisis aren’t being tested for the deadly disease in the line of duty.

The New South Wales Police Association is desperately calling on commissioner Mick Fuller to provide officers with “priority COVID-19 testing”, as officers revealed they were told testing would not be made available to them “unless they have travelled overseas”.

“Coronavirus testing isn’t currently available to police officers,” an association spokesman told NewsLocal. “We have a meeting with (the commissioner) tomorrow afternoon when this will be high on the agenda, with high expectations of a decision.”

Police escorted three buses from Sydney International Airport this morning to TraveLodge Hotel Sydney for quarantine due to the COVID-19 Virus Pandemic. Picture: David Swift.

Australian Police Federation chief executive Scott Weber said the government needed to “urgently protect the protectors of our community”.

“The two biggest concerns and issues for officers are the desperate need for personal protective equipment and priority testing for police with symptoms,” Mr Weber said.

“As police, we want to deal with COV-19 in the best way we can, but we can’t do that without PPE and testing being provided.”

A member of the NSW Police Force escorts a returning overseas travellers onto waiting buses at Sydney Airport. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

Mr Weber said police officers will have the responsibility of helping the community to flatten the curve of COVID-19, “particularly as harsher social measures are introduced in coming days, weeks and months”.

“We are receiving complaints form police of inadequate PPE and a lack of testing,” he said.

“Police officers are dealing with people that refuse to self-isolate and others that are high-risk and are escorted to hotels for quarantine.”

A Police Officer watches on at people queuing for a delivery of toilet paper, paper towel and pasta at Coles Supermarket, Epping in Sydney. (AAP Image/James Gourley)

Earlier this month, it was revealed a South Sydney Police Area Command Inspector and Murrumbidgee Police District Constable were both diagnosed with coronavirus following two separate cruises.

Both officers were tested for the virus following their international travel, with Mr Fuller telling the public they “certainly didn’t contract it in the execution of their duty”.

Police Minister, David Elliott said the NSW Police Force was “taking active measures to minimise the risk to police officers” while maintaining the highest level of response to the community.

NSW Police Minister David Elliott speak to the media during a press conference in Sydney, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett)

“Safety information continues to be communicated to police in relation to COVID-19 with messaging around personal hygiene, social distancing and guidance on the use of Personal Protective Equipment for officers and potential use of masks for infected offenders and members of the community,” Mr Elliott said.

NSW Police were contacted for comment.