SAN ANTONIO — The local deputy sheriff's association is alleging that a refusal by Sheriff Javier Salazar to allow members of an investigative unit to work from home has resulted in one of its members testing positive.
The Deputy Sheriff's Association of Bexar County says it made the request last week "in an attempt to prevent illness with our ranks" before Salazar allegedly turned it down. According to the association's president, the investigative traffic homicide unit has the means to work remotely, "but instead they were exposed to an infected colleague and now an entire investigative unit is compromised."
As a result, the association says it's asking the sheriff to "reconsider his policy of refusing remote work requests."
In response to the DSABC's allegations, the sheriff's office said that "investigators working from home is not practical, as the need to access specific documents and evidence cannot be accessed remotely from a laptop."
BCSO also said that distancing measures were put into place before the deputy in question had tested positive and that the department "has been encouraged to wear face coverings while on and off-duty."
The sheriff's office said previously that it has taken efforts to mitigate the spread of coronavirus within its ranks, as well as in the jail. In all, 31 deputies have tested positive for COVID-19, as have 36 inmates.
Read the full response from the sheriff's office below:
A deputy assigned to CID has tested positive for COVID-19 and has not been in the office since April 17, 2020. As a precaution, 3 other employees who worked with the COVID-19 positive deputy will be temporarily working from home for 7 days while monitoring symptoms.
As essential personnel, investigators working from home is not practical, as the need to access specific documents and evidence cannot be remotely accessed from a laptop.
Additionally, prior to this positive COVID-19 case, distancing measures had already been set in place within the CID offices. BCSO staff has also been encouraged to wear face coverings while on and off-duty.
CID offices will continue to be provided cleaning supplies for daily sanitation and continue to have access to protective gear. Furthermore, the area where the COVID-19 positive deputy worked was decontaminated immediately upon notification.
Per yesterday’s release, we currently have 19 positive deputies along with 12 recovered deputies.
