COVID-19 Used by Criminals to Attack Police [OPINION]

Deranged criminals have a new weapon to use against the men and women of law enforcement: spitting at police officers and screaming "I have COVID-19!"

I resisted writing about this new threat to police officers and other first responders because I didn't want to give the stupid people a new fool button to push. However, my friends in law enforcement have assured me, while laughing at me, that I'm not telling the street creeps anything they don't know about using this public health crisis as a weapon.

A recent incident in the city of New Bedford is an important example of what police officers are currently facing every time they answer a call.

New Bedford Patrolman Hank Turgeon and other officers were dispatched to a city residence last week. During the course of the investigation, a female became confrontational and suddenly transformed into a terrorist. She claimed she had COVID-19 and spit in Officer Turgeon's face.

At that moment, a disgusting assault became an act of terrorism. Whether the assailant has the COVID-19 virus or not, she made the claim and she did it to multiply the damage she was doing when she used her body fluid as a weapon.

Sadly, being spit on and other types of assault comes with the badge for police officers today. But adding claims of COVID-19 or other infectious, fatal diseases to the assault places the criminal in a new category.

People who use COVID-19 as a weapon should be prosecuted as terrorists and if convicted, sentenced to long prison sentences for their acts of terrorism.

Chris McCarthy is the host of The Chris McCarthy Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Contact him at chris.mccarthy@townsquaremedia.com and follow him on Twitter @Chris_topher_Mc. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.