VENTURA : Council OKs Testing Detainees for AIDS
Following the lead of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors, the Ventura City Council has given law enforcement personnel permission to test detainees for the virus that causes AIDS if an officer may have been exposed to a suspect’s blood.
Police Chief Richard F. Thomas told council members Monday that the resolution is needed to protect the safety of his officers. The council agreed.
“A police officer has to have the ability to find out whether he’s been potentially infected,” Councilman Steve Bennett said before Monday’s council meeting. “So I support the change.”
Councilman Gregory L. Carson said he asked a number of AIDS activist groups about the proposal and received virtually no opposition.
“There has to be a case where someone has come in contact with blood for us to be able to do the testing,” Carson said.
County physicians have administered the tests about 20 times over the past 10 years, with each one coming back negative, health officials said.
But a new amendment to the existing state law calls for local government to approve of the practice. The County Board of Supervisors approved a similar resolution last month.
The cost of the tests, about $20 each, will be borne by the city.
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