NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A Manhattan judge ruled on Tuesday that the NYPD can’t fire an officer who refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine despite the city’s mandate.
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Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arlene Bluth ruled the city needed to provide a concrete reason why it rejected 43-year-old Alexander Deletto’s appeal, which the NYPD failed to do.
Deletto, who works at the 88th Precinct in Clinton Hill, sued the city on Aug. 5, after his religious appeal was rejected on Feb. 15.
The NYPD failed to elaborate the department’s reasoning beyond a simple statement — “does not meet criteria.”
“The hollow and generic phrase ‘does not meet criteria’ cannot be rational because not a single item particular to [Deletto] was discussed and not a single reason for the decision was given,” said Bluth in her ruling. “It is the duty of the agency to explain why it made the decision.”
More than 1,750 city workers were fired for refusing to get the vaccine — including at least 36 NYPD employees. Many others were granted religious or health exemptions and allowed to stay on the city payroll.
The ruling could impact more than 20 other lawsuits from police officers regarding the mandate.
“Both the NYPD and a citywide appeals panel carefully reviewed this officer’s accommodation request,” the New York City Law Department told the New York Post in a statement. “The city is reviewing this decision and is considering its options.”
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