The largest union representing the New York Police Department is planning to sue the city for "unilaterally" imposing vaccine mandates on police officers they represent.
The New York City Police Benevolent Association called out NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio for its "haphazard vaccine rollout," standing firm that vaccination against COVID-19 should be a "personal medical decision."
"From the beginning of the de Blasio administration's haphazard vaccine rollout, we have fought to make the vaccine available to every member who chooses it, while also protecting their right to make that personal medical decision in consultation with their own doctor," PBA President Patrick Lynch wrote in a statement Wednesday.
More than 100,000 city workers are facing a Nov. 1 deadline to get at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 71% of the city have already reached that goal, according to reports.
The NYPD, which has 34,500 uniformed personnel and about 17,700 people in non-uniformed support positions, is around 69% vaccinated, while 77.4% of city adults are.
There have already been 60 NYPD employees who have died from COVID-19 complications, including five patrol officers, eight detectives, and the former chief of transportation, according to reports.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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