Cops Will Face Punishment For Not Wearing Masks, Mayor Says

NEW YORK CITY — Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged Thursday to crack down on cops who refuse to wear face masks despite an ongoing global pandemic — but at least one local politician remains skeptical.

For months, citizens and officials have observed that many of New York's Finest seem reluctant to wear masks, violating city and state orders that have been in place since the coronavirus arrived in the spring.

In some cases, a police detectives' union and Police Commissioner Dermot Shea himself have publicized videos and photos and videos showing large numbers of cops gathered without masks.

"These are the folks who enforce the law — they also have to live up to the law and people need to see them living up to the law,” de Blasio said during his daily news conference.

Responding to a question by Newsday reporter Matthew Chayes, the mayor said the city would provide data showing how many NYPD officers have been penalized for not wearing masks, although he added that legitimate reasons exist for taking a mask off, such as eating or drinking.

"If there’s not a legitimate reason, they should have a mask on like everyone else," de Blasio said. "There should be a penalty and you should see the results."

The promise came one day after State Sen. Brad Hoylman penned a letter to Shea, asking him to enforce a stricter mask-wearing policy among NYPD ranks. Hoylman told Patch that his children ask him frequently about maskless officers in public spaces like Union Square or Washington Square.

After the mayor's promise, Hoylman tweeted that "words have to be backed up by action."

"What are the penalties here? How many police officers have been penalized?" he asked. "Where is the official written policy issued to every NYPD officer making mask-wearing a requirement?"

Words have to be backed up by action.

What are the penalties here?

How many police officers have been penalized?

Where is the official written policy issued to every NYPD officer making mask-wearing a requirement? https://t.co/u1x6TTN5Hw
— Senator Brad Hoylman (@bradhoylman) October 1, 2020

Reached for comment Wednesday, the NYPD referred Patch to an interview in which Shea disputed that the issue was widespread among officers, but conceded, "we are human."

Also on Wednesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo took up the issue, asking "what signal" the NYPD sends by refusing to comply with an order they are charged with enforcing.

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