Nearly 20 percent of the NYPD’s rank-and-file were out sick to start the week, according to data released by the NYPD.
As of Monday night, 6,974 officers — or 19.3 percent of the NYPD’s 36,000 uniformed officers — were out ill, according to the department.
The number of sick cops has ticked up each day since mid-March and the sick rate is nearly seven times the average.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said, however, that he and city’s police commissioner remained confident in the department’s “deep bench.”
“I spoke to Commissioner [Dermot] Shea this morning we went over the situation with absentees but we also went over the return rate which has gotten very strong,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference at Brooklyn Navy Yard Monday morning.
De Blasio added that “the vast majority of patrol officers in the NYPD are younger and very healthy people… so, the extent they’ve been exposed to the virus they’re coming back rapidly.”
“We don’t want anyone to have it but once you get it you’re done, you can continue your life and be immune.”
According to the department, 2,228 members of the NYPD — 1,935 officers and 293 civilians — had contracted the virus.
So far, 13 members of the department — one detective and 12 civilians — had died due to complications with the virus.
The department did get some good news to start the week — welcoming back to duty one of the first officer to fully recover from COVID-19. Officer Prieto returned to work in the 19th Precinct Monday.
“Great to hear you’re feeling better,” Shea responded in a tweet.
Under 200 officers have since returned to work after testing positive for the virus, Shea later tweeted.