Around 25 percent of the New York Police Department is unvaccinated. The COVID vaccine mandate under Emperor Bill de Blasio is set to go into effect within days. Yes, cops are lining up to get the shot, but the brass isn’t taking any chances here concerning fallout. They know retirements and exit papers are going to be filed. The only question is how bad it will be. They already have reserved auditorium space to assist those who would rather leave or retire than adhere to the mandate. Around 10,000 seasoned veteran police officers could be heading for the door at a time when crime is spiking in the Big Apple. The lack of manpower is a public safety concern (via NY Post):
Police officials have reserved the auditorium at 1 Police Plaza Friday for the NYC Police Pension Fund to process retirement paperwork for cops with at least 20 years on the job, according to a pair administrative bulletins sent out to the workforce Thursday.
The retiring officers will be split into two arrival windows based on last name, the memo adds.
Those without 20 years on the job who wish to resign are being told to arrive at the auditorium at police headquarters on Saturday in four separate groups, again organized by last name, read a third memo sent out Thursday.
“This is to assist members who wish to retire due to the vaccination mandates,” the memo reads.
One police source railed against the haphazard communications with cops about the retirement scramble — just four days before the vaccine requirement will be enforced.
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The head of the Detective Endowment’s Association told The Post he expects a rise in retirements with 9,000 to 10,000 NYPD members — detectives and patrolmen — eligible to retire or “vest out,” meaning they opted for a delayed and lesser retirement package.
“There was no reason to rush this,” said DEA President Paul DiGiacomo, slamming the police brass and administration over a possible “devastating effect on public safety” due to a lack of manpower.
“The only reason the mayor is rushing this is for his own political gain,” DiGiacomo said. “He’s got intentions of running for governor and he has nothing to hang his hat on right now other than to say he has the most vaccinations in the country by forcing people to do it.”
De Blasio as governor—lord save us. The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) is also facing a similar crisis with their rank-and-file, noting that it could lead to the closure of some 20 percent of its companies and take an equal number of ambulances off the streets. One FDNY firefighter told the NY Post that people will die due to this dip in manpower. The cure cannot be worse than the disease. Well, let’s hope nothing catastrophic happens and pray these looming retirements are not many—but I doubt it.
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