Joseph Ostapiuk
Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The number of NYPD officers out sick slightly decreased on Tuesday, according to a department announcement, marking the fifth consecutive day of improving sick rates since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The NYPD said 6,372 officers were on sick report on Tuesday, which accounts for 17.6% of the department’s uniformed workforce. Yesterday, 6,380 officers were out sick, the Advance/SiLive.com reported.
The latest sick report numbers from the NYPD show a consistent decrease in officers out sick, with the recent trend beginning between Thursday and Friday after 27 straight days of increasing sick rates within the department, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said during a Q&A on Friday.
Currently, 2,232 uniformed members and 568 civilian members of the department are diagnosed with the coronavirus. Yesterday, the NYPD said 837 uniformed members and 90 civilian members have returned to full duty after testing positive since March 24.
At least 24 members of the NYPD have died as a result of the coronavirus, according to the department.
Supervising Police Communications Technician Irving Cruz, who was assigned to the communications section, died on Monday, April 13 from complications related to the coronavirus, the NYPD said. Cruz became a member of the NYPD on March 15, 2002.
https://www.facebook.com/NYPD52pct/photos/a.152985195264921/652553098641459/?
“Regrettably, we have learned that Supervising Police Communications Technician Irving Cruz passed away yesterday evening from #COVID-19. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, & an 18-year member of our NYPD family,” Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said on Twitter.