Joseph Ostapiuk
Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The NYPD said 129 members of the department have now tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19), with 6.6% of its unified workforce on “sick report” — which is more than double the NYPD’s usual daily average.
As of Monday morning, 100 officers and 29 civilian members of the NYPD had tested positive, an NYPD announcement said. The number of positive cases is a jump from Sunday, when Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said that 98 members of the NYPD had tested positive for coronavirus.
“The belief at this time, with very limited information, obviously, is that it’s not necessarily contracted at work,” Shea said. “In terms of the testing, the numbers are going up because the testing in the entire city is going up.”
Additionally, 2,407 NYPD employees were on “sick report,” according to the statement.
“The increase in the number of employees on sick report was anticipated and, given the nature of the virus, it is expected that this number will grow,” the release said. “So far, these absences have had a minimal impact on our ability to keep the people of New York City safe and respond to those requiring assistance.”
The NYPD has distributed more than 204,000 pairs of gloves, 75,000 N95 masks, 340,000 surgical masks and distributed 125,000 alcohol wipes and hand sanitizer to employees, according to the release. There are approximately 36,000 officers in the NYPD and an additional 19,000 civilian employees.
“The NYPD has a significant amount of these products on reserve and received an additional shipment over the weekend,” the statement said. “The NYPD will continue to monitor inventory to ensure officers have the necessary equipment to perform their duties safely.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Sunday that the NYPD will continue to enforce breaking up gatherings. However, Shea said that citywide, “by and large we are seeing cooperation.”
On Sunday, between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m., NYPD officers visited 1,275 supermarkets and pharmacies and issued only three verbal warnings in Queens for crowd conditions.
Officers also visited 5,143 bars and restaurants during the aforementioned span, and found that 3,817 were closed. Three warning were issued in Brooklyn, the NYPD release said.
Inspections of 573 public places found that 217 were closed, and four verbal warnings — three in Queens and one in Brooklyn — were given.
The NYPD also visited 1,236 personal care facilities. 1,177 were closed and 59 warnings were issued, according to the NYPD release.