Cop caught on video coughing near residents. Now there’s an investigation in Maryland
A police department says it’s investigating after a cop was caught on video coughing near residents.
Footage that Baltimore officials say shows a city police officer surfaced online Tuesday, the same day Maryland saw 326 new coronavirus cases, according to multiple news outlets.
At least 12 officers within the Baltimore Police Department have tested positive for COVID-19, the Baltimore Sun reports. More than 300 cops have been in quarantine during the pandemic, according to the newspaper.
The department in a statement to WBFF said it “takes COVID-19 very seriously and we do not condone any action by our members which may be perceived as making light of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The coronavirus can spread through droplets released from the body when a person with the disease coughs or sneezes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People who are nearby can breathe in the droplets and get sick, health officials say.
Investigation launches
In the video posted to Instagram, the officer walks toward the person behind the camera, who says: “Hey officer friendly with the cherry cheeks.”
That’s when the cop touches his chest and starts coughing as he passes three people, the footage shows.
The recording continues, and the person behind the camera can later be heard saying: “Come in here coughing like that s*** cute. I should call the CDC on his a**.”
The video, which contains language that some may find offensive, can be found here.
The incident reportedly happened in a public housing complex called Perkins Homes, news outlets report.
Baltimore officers on Tuesday said they were “aware of a video posted online” that “depicted a Baltimore Police sergeant repeatedly coughing near citizens,” according to WBFF.
The department announced it would conduct a “complete investigation,” WJZ-TV reported.
The department could not be reached for comment on Wednesday afternoon.
It’s not the first time tension has surfaced between Baltimore police and community members.
In 2015, Freddie Gray died a week after he was hurt in police custody. The case sparked riots and added to the national conversation about police treatment of African Americans, the Associated Press reported.
