Bedbugs are a frequent irritant for first responders who regularly enter houses in a city that's perennially among the worst in the country for the tiny, blood-sucking pests.
Detroit is the seventh-worst city in the United States for bedbug infestation, according to the Atlanta-based pest control company Orkin — so the opportunity for police officers, firefighters and medical technicians to pick them up is high.
"Bedbugs are the new roaches," Detroit police assistant chief James White said. "We realize it's a problem for our officers, and we have an aggressive treatment program."
Experts say bedbugs are a growing problem because they've developed a tolerance for pesticides. Across the country, first responders have struggled with infestations. Public safety headquarters in Jamestown, South Carolina, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, are among the facilities that were forced to close this year because of bedbugs.