CHARLOTTE AMALIE – The Virgin Islands Police Department said this weekend it “is concerned about the health and well-being of our employees and our community alike.”
“We have taken actions to limit potential exposure to COVID-19,” VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said. “Our officers are on the frontline and the nature of their job requires interaction with the public.”
In spite of implementing the best practices recommended by the CDC, “several VIPD personnel have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past weeks,” according to Derima.
“Along with the Department of Health, we have provided support to our sworn and non-sworn employees,” he said. “At this time, we have closed Zone A Command in Charlotte Amalie for comprehensive cleaning, which will be completed this weekend.”
The Zone A Command is inside the Alexander A. Farrelly Criminal Justice Complex, which is currently affected by a COVID-19 outbreak.
The Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections put the St. Thomas jail on lockdown by August 12 after at least 20 people tested positive for the coronavirus disease.
The St. Thomas jail is part of the Alexander A. Farrelly Justice Complex.
The VIPD said that “his temporary closure does not impact our ability to accomplish our core mission of protecting our community.”
However, the Records Bureau office in that building will not open as planned today.
The St. Thomas Records Bureau office will remain closed until further notice; however, requests will continue to be processed online.
The VIPD said it “apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.”