Metz police officer Philippe Donnadieu passed away last Monday after suffering from Covid-19 for several weeks, the SCSI union said in a statement.
The national police took to Twitter to commemorate Donnadieu, whose “passing leaves a big void.”
Local police trade unions reacted with anger to the news of his passing, criticising the lack of protective equipment available to front-line workers in the early days of the pandemic. According to UNSA police secretary Ives Milla, police officers were “very exposed” and often contracted the virus. Milla added that they later infected their own families.
“Dozens of police officers contract the virus every day in the Grand Est region,” regional secretary of the National Police Alliance Michel Corriaux said. He also criticised the “lamentable management” when it comes to equipping police officers with face masks.
The national alliance called upon police officers to put a halt to checks until they receive protective equipment.
Several police officers have died of coronavirus since the beginning of the outbreak. A 47-year-old divisional commissioner succumbed to Covid-19 in Lens last Sunday.
