Entire Metro East police department out after COVID-19 outbreak

Aug. 19—ST. LOUIS — The entire Venice Police Department is out of commission this week following a COVID-19 outbreak in the department, Mayor Tyrone Echols said Thursday.

Officers started getting sick late last week, and before long, all three officers and the chief were ordered to quarantine for about 10 days.

Illinois State Police and Madison County law enforcement officials met over the weekend and hashed out a plan to cover the area until all the Venice police return.

"We're covered," Echols said. "They haven't lost a step."

The community of just under 1,900 people is already short-handed, and has struggled to keep officers with a relatively small budget and nationwide police recruiting shortages, Echols said.

He added that the incident was a reminder that the virus was still "alive" in the community and dangerous.

"It's out there," he said. "It's a shame there are people talking against masks and the vaccine."

The department in Venice is not the only law enforcement agency in the region to have ongoing issues with COVID-19 as the delta variant continues to spread throughout the country.

On Thursday, St. Louis County police announced 15 members of that department in two precincts, operational support, criminal investigations and special operations had tested positive for the virus since Aug. 2.

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