Judge Denies NYPD Union's Effort to Stop Coronavirus Vaccine Mandate

A judge in Staten Island has rebuffed efforts by the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD) largest union to temporarily halt the Big Apple’s imminent coronavirus vaccine mandate.

CBS News reports:

The Police Benevolent Association, New York City’s largest police union, had argued in their request for a temporary restraining order on Monday that the policy does not make clear potential exceptions for medical or religious reasons, and does not give unvaccinated officers sufficient time to apply for such exemptions, as those appeals must have been submitted by Wednesday — one week after the mandate was announced.

“The city has provided no explanation, much less a rational one, for the need to violate the autonomy and privacy of NYPD police officers in such a severe manner, on the threat of termination,” said PBA lawyers said of the mandate, which is slated to take effect November 1.

“Today’s ruling sets the city up for a real crisis. The haphazard rollout of this mandate has created chaos in the NYPD,” PBA President Patrick Lynch said in a statement. “City Hall has given no reason that a vaccine mandate with a weekly testing option is no longer enough to protect police officers and the public, especially while the number of COVID-19 cases continues to fall.”

To date, the NYPD — comprised of 36,000 officers and roughly 19,000 civilian staff members — says 73% of its cops are vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The development comes after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio recently said that he will “respect people’s intelligence” before mandating vaccines. De Blasio’s remarks came in response to a question as to why he had not yet proceeded with vaccine rules for city employees.

President Joe Biden speaks with New York Mayor Bill de Blasio as he arrives at John F. Kennedy Airport for a two day visit to attend the United Nations General Assembly, September 20, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

“I think everyone out there is mature adults. I’d like to respect people’s intelligence,” the mayor said. “We have, I think, pretty meticulously over the course of the pandemic tried to figure out what made sense to do, when, and make sure we had all the pieces in place.”

“I do believe you sequence things in different ways. And there are still issues we have to understand better and resolve. It’s not always a matter of just push a button. You have to get things right,” he added.

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