The NYPD announced yet another drop in the number of police officers out sick — the biggest decline since the COVID-19 slide began eight days ago.
The NYPD said 14.7% of the uniformed department were out sick as of Saturday, a drop from Friday’s 16.3% of the force were absent.
As of April 18, 5,324 uniformed members of the NYPD were on sick report which accounts for 14.7% of the Department’s uniformed workforce. At the height of the crisis eight days ago (April 9), 19.8% were absent.
To date, 4,347 members, both uniformed and civilians of the NYPD have tested positive for coronavirus. down from Friday’s 5,901. As of today, Saturday, April 18, 2,089 members of the NYPD have returned to work full duty after recovering from a positive test for the coronavirus, contributing to growing optimism that most members will recover. There are 1,855 uniformed members plus 375 civilian members are still out sick diagnosed with coronavirus.
There have been 28 members of the department who died from complications caused by novel coronavirus.
NYPD Detective Jack Polimeni was buried Friday after a Sheepshead Bay funeral. The latest member to die was School Safety Agent Suzette Facey, assigned to the 106th Precinct School Safety Unit, who died April 17, from complications related to the coronavirus.
Officers continue to visit restaurants, bars, supermarkets, salons and public spaces to remind individuals of the ban on congregating in public spaces and to practice social distancing. In addition, officers have been wearing masks after Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered anyone congregating with others to wear masks to avoid spreading the virus.
As of Friday, April 17, to April 18, for a 24-hour period, police officers continued checking gathering sites to make sure residents were observing the ban on congregating.
Police say there were two arrests made in regard to these visits in the Bronx in the area of the 47th Precinct. There were ten Criminal Court summonses were issued in regard to visits in Queens in the 107th Precinct coverage area.
This story first appeared on amny.com.
