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Personal protective gear being rationed within police departments

Law enforcement agencies planning for anticipated shortages are asking officers to practice social distancing to extend the lifespan of PPE supply.

ROCKVILLE, Md. — Police agencies in the region are reporting that supplies of personal protective equipment for law enforcement officers are being carefully rationed.

In Montgomery County, officers are being issued two single-use N-95 face masks per shift for use at their discretion, according to Earl Stoddard the Director of Montgomery County  Emergency Management and Homeland Security.

Stoddard said officers are being asked to use social distancing and other strategies whenever possible to extend the supply. He reported that between state and federal stockpiles, the county has received 155,000 masks in recent days.

The priority has been to get them to hospitals and health care workers, Stoddard said.

Montgomery County police say they've received 15,000. 


In Prince George's County, Police Chief Hank Stawinski said his department received a shipment of PPE Tuesday, which he says will be distributed to officers immediately.

Stawinski is also asking officers to rely on social distancing whenever possible and is appealing for cooperation from the community to keep officers at a safe distance.

"We do have PPE available for our first responders now," Stoddard said.  "The concern isn't where we're at today. It's where we're at in two or three weeks. We know the peak isn’t here yet. Therefore we have to plan for reality when we do not have all the resources we would like and we have to make hard decisions about how to utilize them."

There are four positive cases of COVID-19 within the Montgomery County Police force, according to a police spokesman. 

The agency is planning for how to make do with larger numbers of sick and quarantined police, as the pandemic expands, authorities said.

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