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Austin Police Department officer faces ‘critical’ case of COVID-19
Detective Neely has been with APD for over 10 years, but as he battles COVID, those he is sworn to protect and serve, are helping in his time of need.
AUSTIN, Texas - Detective Elijah Neely has been with the Austin Police Department for more than a decade, serving those in his community. But now, as he battles COVID-19, those he is sworn to protect and serve, are helping him in his time of need.
"He's given over 10 years of his life to this department and to the city," said Ken Casady, president of the Austin Police Association. "If there's a time to come together when everyone's thinking about COVID-19, it's now because we have an officer that needs assistance."
Hundreds of Austin Police officers have had COVID-19, but Casady said Neely is the most critical they have seen.
"We just felt like we had to do something because this is the most-sick individual that we've had in our police department," he said.
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Neely's symptoms began in mid-February, and he was taken to a hospital in Temple and placed on a ventilator. Now, Casady says he needs to be transferred to a hospital in Dallas, saying there are more resources there that can help.
"When we have to come together to protect each other in a medical crisis like this, we all come together and make sure that the officer is taken care of," he said.
The Texas Peace Officer Association started a GoFundMe to help with any medical costs the family may be facing.
The goal was 20,000, but by Sunday the page had already surpassed more than 28,000.
"All we know is that we need to take care of a fellow officer that has done a fantastic job for our police department." said. Casady