A week ago, I had the opportunity to sit down with Clermont’s Chief of Police, Charles Broadway. In our sit-down we had the opportunity to discuss the recent spike of COVID-19 cases in Florida, how the City of Clermont has worked to protect its residents, and the toll the pandemic has taken on the Chief’s officers.
Me: “What are some of the steps the Clermont Police Department and the City of Clermont are taking to ensure the safety of its residents?”
Chief Broadway: “So there’s a couple things we’re doing. A lot of things we’re doing are in reference to social media. We’re putting out a lot of numbers. We’re encouraging people to follow CDC guidelines. There’s a lot of information going out —probably on a daily basis— about the numbers in our area. We even provide the number of deaths that occur in Lake County. A lot of it is just providing information. It’s more of an education and awareness campaign.”
Me: “How about your officers and other first responders? What are some steps that have been taken to protect them?”
Chief Broadway: “Of course, we are providing education and awareness for our officers first. This can be very challenging for them at times because, of course, there are times when we can’t social distance. But, pretty much every medical call and every call that we are on, we’re treating as if that person could have COVID-19. All of our officers are equipped with personal protective equipment — everything from gloves, to masks, to hand sanitizer. We also have access to a rapid test for COVID-19, where officers could get a test done by fire department officials. I’ve gotten it done, several officers have gotten it done. We get results…within ten minutes. If our officers come into contact with someone who might have COVID, that officer is placed into a quarantine right away.”
Me: “How have procedures changed since this began?”
Chief Broadway: “Well for one…our dispatch is pre-screening a lot of people. Before we get a call for service, dispatch is talking to the caller and asking them basic pre-screening questions to ascertain if that person has any symptoms or has been in contact with any person who has COVID, to give our officers a little bit more information before they make contact. We are being very careful and cautious about minimizing our personal entering into nursing homes, hospitals, and medical facilities. Again, we are treating every call as if they have COVID-19.”
Me: “I’m not sure if you can answer this, but have any officers been exposed to COVID-19 on the job?”
Chief Broadway: “On the job, we have one who was possibly exposed, but they were quarantined and thankfully did not get sick. We do have an officer who tested positive for COVID-19 who may have gotten it off duty, but we’re not sure yet. That officer is at home and recovering.”
I then asked the Chief about Conrad Buckley, a police officer with the Clermont Police Department who passed away in April after coming down with COVID-19 after visiting family in Boston.
Me: “How did that loss impact your department?”
Chief Broadway: “In the police department, these guys work together so much. They spend so many hours working together on the front lines, so many hours serving and protecting. There’s a bond between these officers that you don’t see in other professions. When you lose someone like that, it’s like losing a family member. It hit us really, really hard. It hit the community really hard too. We received various emails and letters about how, in their interactions with him, he just went above and beyond. It was very, very tough. It’s like losing a family member.”
Me: “Do your officers generally feel safe working?”
Chief Broadway: “They do, there’s got to be some anxiety. You think about what’s going on right now. They’re worried about COVID and thinking about COVID. We lost an officer to COVID. We’re seeing numbers spike in Florida. Then we’re seeing some troubling times throughout this nation where there’s a mistrust of law enforcement and some division between law enforcement and their communities. There’s definitely some anxieties there. The good thing is that, here in Clermont, we truly have a lot of community support. They supported us when we lost Conrad, they’re supporting us now. Every other day someone is dropping something off at the police department — a letter, a dessert, a thank you note, a snack. Every week I’ll hear that one of my officers is in a restaurant and when they go to pay for their bill, they’re told that someone’s already covered it. So, the community is really, overwhelmingly behind us. That really helps out a lot in these times of uncertainty.”
The Clermont Police Department has a total of 86 police officers covering roughly 16 square miles and 42,000 residents. According to the Chief, the department answers between 35,000 and 40,000 calls each year. I asked Chief Broadway if the number of calls they receive had dropped since COVID began.
Chief Broadway: “Our call volume did drop, especially during the stay-at-home orders. We did see a drop in calls-for-service, and crime actually went down in Clermont. Unfortunately, nation-wide we did see an increase in domestic violence.”
Me: “Is there anything you’d like to say to the community?”
Chief Broadway: “Well first and foremost, I’d like to thank the men and women of the Clermont Police Department. They truly are the finest professionals, who go out every single day and earn that title. They’re on the front lines and are dedicated to serving and protecting while putting their lives on the line for people that love them, while also putting their lives on the line for people who don’t have a lot of love for them. Again, I could not do my job as efficiently and effectively without the men and women on the front lines. To the community, I just want to thank you for your continued, overwhelming support. They have supported us time, and time again, through the good times and the challenging. I truly believe, in reference to community policing, that we are more effective and efficient when the police work hand-in-hand with the community, to enhance quality of life, reduce crime, and prevent crime.”
-Clermont Police Chief Charles Broadway (Clermont, Florida)
