NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Some unvaccinated NYPD officers will be fired if they don’t meet a COVID-19 vaccine requirement by a new February deadline, sources told 1010 WINS on Monday.
Officers who initially failed to comply with the October 2021 mandate, as well as new hires who haven’t shown proof of a second vaccine dose, have until Feb. 11 to comply or face termination, according to the sources, who confirmed reports of a memo sent to NYPD sergeants from the Sergeants Benevolent Association.
“Every avenue has been exhausted by Law Enforcement and others across the country in the courts, we have lost at every turn,” SBA president Vincent Vallelong wrote in the memo. “With this in mind, I ask you to take the proper steps to ensure that whatever decision you make is best for you and your families.”
The officers must be fully vaccinated, meaning they’ll need two doses of a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, to avoid being fired.
The NYPD will reportedly notify unvaccinated officers of the requirement on Monday.
There are reportedly around 5,000 NYPD officers who’ve requested religious or medical exemptions to the vaccine. They’ve been allowed to work, with weekly COVID-19 testing, as their applications are reviewed.
There will be a separate deadline for current NYPD employees who received the first dose of a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine but still haven’t shown proof of a second dose.
The letter went out citywide to employees who have been on unpaid leave for not complying with the mandate and was not targeting just the NYPD. A spokesperson for the mayor said this affects a couple of thousand people.
Currently, the overall NYPD vaccination rate is approximately 89%.
"Since vaccines became available, we have encouraged our employees, especially those who have contact with the public, to get vaccinated," the department said. "We continue to make vaccinations available at multiple times and at multiple locations to ensure that as many of our employees as possible get the vaccination."
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