Irene Spezzamonte
Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The number of employees in the New York Police Department who tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to grow daily.
On Wednesday, there were 25 new positive cases in the department from the previous day, with 20 more uniformed members and five new civilian members who tested positive, according to the department.
Currently there are more than 300 uniformed members and 39 civilian members who have tested positive for the Coronavirus, the department announced.
As of Wednesday, 3,237 NYPD uniformed employees are on sick report, which accounts for 8.9% of the department’s uniformed workforce, the NYPD said.
The NYPD also shared data on the businesses officers have been patrolling.
On Tuesday, between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m., the NYPD visited 1,572 supermarkets, of which 1,041 were closed for business; 4,825 bars and restaurants, of which 3,824 were closed for business; 865 public places, of which 459 were closed; and 2,102 personal care facilities of which 2,096 were closed.
The NYPD did not make any arrests or issue any summonses while conducting the visits.
“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,” the NYPD announced. “These patrols continue to demonstrate the incredible cooperation by New Yorkers in undertaking the shared responsibility of social distancing and stopping the spread of the virus.”
They’ll also be sending cops on new assignments unique to the coronavirus.
“We’re also going to be taking up tasks that we didn’t before this pandemic struck. We’re gonna be covering hospitals, we’re gonna be covering streets that are closed, we’re gonna be covering parks,” Commissioner Dermot Shea said.
Sometime over the weekend, the department will set up an operational task force of about 600 officers whose main function will be replacing cops out sick, Shea said in a video to members of the NYPD posted to Twitter.
“Be ready, have your uniform ready, be ready to pick up the slack for the men and women next to you that’s out sick, because we’re gonna need you to step in until they come back.”