In late March, New York City’s health commissioner reportedly responded to an urgent NYPD request for 500,000 surgical masks by snapping. “I don’t give two rats’ asses about your cops,” according to The New York Post.
Dr. Oxiris Barbot allegedly made that comment to NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan after saying she could only provide 50,000 masks, the Post reported. She reportedly stated, “I don’t give two rats’ asses about your cops. I need them for others.” The first NYPD officer to die from the coronavirus was NYPD detective Cedric Dixon, 48, who worked in the 32nd Precinct in Harlem, and died at the end of March.
The Post reported, “The NYPD has recorded 5,490 cases of coronavirus among its 55,000 cops and civilian workers, with 41 deaths, according to figures released Wednesday evening.”
Patrick Lynch, president of the Police Benevolent Association, blasted Barbot, snapping, “Dr. Barbot should be forced to look in the eye of every police family who lost a hero to this virus. Look them in the eye and tell them they aren’t worth a rat’s ass.”
Ed Mullins, the president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, echoed, as he called for Barbot to be fired, “The comments made by Dr. Barbot, an appointee of Mayor de Blasio, are despicable, and will not be tolerated.” He continued, “I am not surprised by such vile words coming from an appointee of Mayor de Blasio, whose disdain for law enforcement is legendary. But Dr. Barbot’s comments make it clear she has no personal or professional regard for police. The primary concern of a medical professional in such an important position should be the safety of all people, and her attitude places police officers in great jeopardy and makes her unfit for the job.”
The following press release was sent out this evening, within an hour of a NY Post article being published online. The comments made by Dr. Barbot, an appointee of Mayor de Blasio, are despicable, and will not be tolerated. Stay safe and remain steadfast and vigilant. pic.twitter.com/FsdtBHKFEp
— SBA (@SBANYPD_Archive) May 14, 2020
The Post added, “In the wake of Barbot’s crass rebuff of Monahan, NYPD officials learned that the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene had a large stash of masks, ventilators and other equipment stored in a New Jersey warehouse, sources said. The department appealed to City Hall, which arranged for the NYPD to get 250,000 surgical masks, sources said.”
Department of Health press secretary Patrick Gallahue stated, “During the height of COVID, while our hospitals were battling to keep patients alive, there was a heated exchange between the two where things were said out of frustration but no harm was wished on anyone,” adding that Barbot “apologized for her contribution to the exchange.”
Congressman Max Rose added on Wednesday night, “This kind of attitude explains so much about City Hall’s overall response to this crisis. Dr. Barbot shouldn’t resign; she should be fired.”
Last week, the Post reported, “City Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot was glaringly absent from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s daily coronavirus briefing Friday when he announced the public hospital system would oversee a major testing and tracing program, instead of her agency that’s handled similar programs in the past.”
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