The questions are flying around the downtown Toronto police division where one, then another, then a third uniformed police officer have fallen ill before having their fears confirmed: all testing positive for COVID-19.

“Who got it? When did they get it? Was it at work? Was it off-duty?” Supt. Rob Johnson, unit commander of 14 division, told the Star on Tuesday. “Folks in general, and police officers in particular, want all the details of this thing.”

In police forces across Ontario, a small but growing number of tests are coming back positive. As of Tuesday, five Toronto employees, four officers and a civilian, had confirmed cases of COVID-19. Four uniformed police within the Ontario Provincial Police have the virus. One each in Hamilton, Peel Region, Halton Region and the Six Nations Police. And in Ottawa, two cops have been diagnosed — a coach officer and a recruit, raising concerns about police who work side by side inside their cruiser.

Others await testing while several hundred more across Ontario are in isolation, due to recent travel or possible exposure to the virus as they head out into communities.

Even as police services hand out personal protective equipment including masks and gloves, wipe down cars and reduce officer gatherings, frontline cops heading out into the community each day can’t help but worry about the worst-case scenario.

Right now, that’s the crisis unfolding in New York, where nearly 1,200 NYPD employees have tested positive for the virus, 5,600 officers are off sick or in self-isolation — 15 per cent of the workforce — and five police employees have died, according to multiple reports.

“Unfortunately, the current situation with the NYPD shows their police members haven’t been able to protect themselves or the public from this rapidly spreading virus,” said Bruce Chapman, president of the Police Association of Ontario.

“Our members face a similar fear of that becoming a reality in Ontario.”

Although there are big differences between Toronto and New York in terms of size and density, Johnson said his officers, too, can’t help looking south and worrying — “it’s the way that this thing can, overnight, double or triple if you don’t follow some simple things,” Johnson said.

“I’d be lying to you if I said they weren’t scared,” he said of newer recruits in particular, who he said were fearful but “not paralyzed — they say ‘OK, let’s suck it up and let’s go and look after things.’ ”

Worry is driving some officers to take careful precautions when returning home from a shift. The wife of a Toronto police officer who requested anonymity to express her safety concerns said she and her husband have devised a system where he calls to wake her up at 3 a.m. when he is getting off shift. As he strips in the garage, placing his uniform in a plastic bag, she turns on the shower so he can minimize what he touches as he enters the house.

She then places his clothes in the laundry and disinfects anything he may have touched.

“My anxiety has been through the roof,” she said, adding she and her young son are put at risk every time her husband comes home.

In Toronto, some initial concerns expressed by officers appear to have been addressed, including complaints about access to personal protective equipment. Toronto police assure that there are enough masks for officers’ needs and that the service maintains a stockpile of all personal protective equipment.

Others persist, including concerns about two officers being in a car together. According to Mike McCormack, president of the Toronto Police Association, the union is in ongoing talks with police management to find additional ways to eliminate officers travelling together.

Frontline OPP officers are also expressing concerns about cops in cars together, Rob Jamieson, president of the OPPA, said Tuesday.

Meaghan Gray, a Toronto police spokesperson, said unit commanders have been told to consider deploying as few two-officer patrol cars as possible. According to Johnson, additional cars are being made available to officers from within the fleet and in his division, he is sending officers out on foot or by bike where possible.

As Toronto public health conducts an investigation into the source of infection at 14 Division, the station has been deep-cleaned and all attempts are being made to promote social distancing, said Johnson. Parades, the meetings at the beginning of the shift, are being held in the hallways or other large areas, he said,

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Although the three positive tests within the station are causing concern, Johnson said he and police leadership are doing their best to protect officers, including arming them with information about risks. Johnson is working from 6 a.m. until well into the evening to speak with as many shifts as he can.

“Most people here are coming to work and just hoping that they don’t get this virus. They are showing up because they know that the public are counting on them,” Johnson said.

According to McCormack, there are 500 Toronto police employees, both uniform and civilian members, not working because they are in self-isolation. Although they are closely monitoring staffing levels McCormack said he isn’t yet concerned, noting that sometimes 10 per cent of the Toronto police workforce is off due to vacation.

A reduction in major crime is helping, both with lower staffing levels and to limit the contacts police are having with community members.

In addition to the three cases at 14 Division, a police officer from 23 Division in North Etobicoke, and a civilian who worked at Toronto police headquarters at 40 College St. have tested positive for COVID-19. McCormack said none of them are in the hospital, and all are recovering at home.

Gray said with each positive case, police are working with public health authorities who conduct “an in-depth investigation related to each member and their contacts.” Enhanced cleaning measures within stations have been taken place, she said.

Calling the protection of staff “paramount,” Gray said those who work closely with members with the virus are advised to self-monitor.

“The Service continues to provide its members with the most up-to-date information from public health officials with respect to self-screening, social distancing, frequent hand-washing with soap, and practicing self-isolation,” she said.

Peel police spokesperson Constable Danny Marttini said confirmed Tuesday that a front-line officer tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, but said “all indications are that this was likely by way of a non-work-related ‘community contact’ and the officer has not been in the workplace for sometime as part of our isolation policy aimed at containment.”

Halton Regional police also confirmed a sworn member of its service tested positive for the virus over the weekend. Police said the employee did not work with the public and had been off work since March 19.

The Ontario Provincial Police said Tuesday four uniform police officers have tested positive for COVID-19: one in the Nipissing West detachment; one in the Nottawasaga detachment and two in the Wellington detachment.