4 local first responders test positive for COVID-19

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – In Warren County, at least four first responders have tested positive for COVID-19 so far.

First responders protect and serve their community while doing what they can to protect themselves from the virus.

Because of their jobs, they can easily be exposed to COVID-19.

The Bowling Green Police Department and the Warren County Sheriff’s Department are no different.

BGPD has one police officer who has tested positive, according to Erin Hulsey, director of human resources for the City of Bowling Green.

“That was not something that he was exposed to at work. He was exposed to that in his home through someone else, through a family member so we felt pretty secure in the fact that he did not get it from work, and he did not expose other police officers,” said Hulsey.

The sheriff’s office has had three workers test positive, according to Warren County Sheriff Brett Hightower.

“Our employees have been pretty asymptomatic to COVID-19. One employee just had a loss of sense and smell, smell and taste, and the other one had no symptoms at all, and one has some additional symptoms,” said Hightower.

Having three employees off in a short period of time has been rough for the county

“It is very hard because you’ve got to either hold over some shift for work or bring in some folks early. So, your workforce can quickly become disadvantaged,” said Hightower.

No firefighters or dispatch personnel tested positive.

“We were actually utilizing the dispatch center at the police headquarters and our dispatch center at the Greenwood station and we were alternating and we were alternating shifts so that we didn’t have people reporting to work right next to each other that allowed a period of time for any potential exposure to die on surfaces and allowed us to get in there and clean,” Hulsey.

The Warren County Sheriff’s Office has two employees already back at work after getting a clean bill of health following their diagnoses.