coronavirus new york city

Coronavirus News: NYPD has 5,600 officers out sick, 5 deaths

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

NYPD has 5,600 officers out sick, 5 deaths amid COVID-19 pandemic

Josh Einiger has the latest on coronavirus' impact on the NYPD.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- The NYPD reported Tuesday that roughly 15% of uniformed officers, about 5,600, are currently out sick amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Police Commissioner Dermot Shea called it "a good thing quite frankly" because he said he doesn't want anyone coming to work sick.

As of Tuesday evening, 1,048 uniformed members and 145 civilian members tested positive for coronavirus

Shea also said in a question and answer session with officers that the NYPD has had 17 people come back to work after testing positive and recovering since Friday.

"They are back, they are better, and they are jumping in to fill the place when people go down," Shea said.

Shea said one thing helping police is that few people are on the street, and as hard as EMS is working, police calls are down.

"The foot traffic is almost nil at this point in time," Shea said. "Crime has dropped off the face of the map, quite frankly, since social distancing."

Shea said only people who have to be in police headquarters are currently there.

"We've instituted something really unprecedented in the NYPD," he said. "Have thousands of people working for home, both on uniformed and civilian side. And that's been going on now for weeks."

The department has had five deaths so far and is also proactively looking at employees' ages and preexisting medical conditions.

Separately, the NYPD and New York City Police Foundation Announce the Purchase of 150,000 units each of masks, gloves and packets of hand sanitizer.

These resources cost $500,000 and are expected to ship in the coming days.