This is an excerpt from an article that appeared in Wednesday's Butler Eagle. An Evans City-Seven Fields police officer who provided support at the June 19 Black Lives Matter protest in Cranberry Township is reported to have tested positive for COVID-19.The following Sunday, June 21, the officer reported experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and later tested positive for the illness, according to three people with knowledge of the situation.According to reports, the officer's illness resulted in the self-quarantining of five officers in the Zelienople Police Department.Zelienople police Chief Jim Miller said at Monday's borough council meeting that three officers had been exposed to the virus and came to work before being informed of their exposure, although he did not identify the source of their exposure.The three individuals confirmed it was the June 19 demonstration at which the three officers were exposed to the Seven Fields officer. The individuals spoke on the condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to speak to the media on the subject.Cranberry police Sgt. Chuck Mascellino estimated on June 19 that about 200 people participated in the protest.Evans City-Seven Fields Regional Police administrator Tom Smith said the department was considering the officer's illness a “personnel issue” and cited HIPAA, the federal health-privacy law, to state the department would not confirm or deny the report.

This is an excerpt from an article that appeared in Wednesday's Butler Eagle.