After a widely publicized comment made by New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Oxiris Barbot, a comment made several months ago which only recently came to light, she has finally come out and apologized to all NYPD cops for saying, “I don’t give two rats’ asses about your cops” to NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan. At that time in March, Chief Monahan asked Dr. Barbot for 500,000 medical masks to safely protect the 55,000 NYPD employees against COVID-19.
She threw him a small bone and issued the NYPD about 50,000 masks. Reportedly, a heated exchange took place between Monahan and Barbot. Presumably, he requested the full amount of 500,000 masks, after which she referred to rodent anatomy having valuations equal to or less than police officers.
The various NYPD police unions representing New York’s Finest promptly rebuked Dr. Barbot’s insult and offense. Yesterday, Newsday reported that “After the remarks attributed to Barbot leaked out last week, demand for her firing or resignation came from police union officials, notably Sergeants Benevolent Association president Edward Mullins and Police Benevolent Association head Patrick Lynch.”
New York City Police Benevolent Association (PBA) President Lynch had a suggestion for Barbot, saying, “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.” And that sums up the tale behind the rodent anatomy that had been bandied about in March and as of late.
Besides requiring masks to protect themselves, the prospect of unmasked cops infecting others came to the fore. On the NYC PBA site, Lynch made a point, offering, “If we infected others because she wanted to hide masks in a warehouse because she didn’t give a rat’s ass about NYC police officers, that’s inexcusable.”
In an eight-line statement publicized by Dr. Barbot, she said the heated discussion with Chief Monahan got standoffish and “regrettably led to an argument in which words were exchanged between a police official and myself.” Indeed words were exchanged between two, and one of those two represented the welfare and interests of about 55,000 city employees directly working with the public.
Per the New York Daily News, Barbot expressed the following: “I apologize to the NYPD for leaving any impression whatsoever that I don’t have utmost respect for our police department, which plays a critical role on the frontlines each and every day to keep our city safe.”
Despite all NYPD police union figureheads publicly calling for Barbot’s termination, it seems the New York state of mind pertaining to politics is alive and well, even if many of its police force are infected with COVID-19. In a report from the National Police Association citing Health Department figures from May 13, “out of the NYPD’s 5,490 cops affected by the coronavirus, 41 personnel have succumbed.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio, one who is often said to harbor disdain for law enforcement officers (even though his 24-hour protection detail is comprised of all NYPD cops), gave Barbot a pass. A Yale University-trained medical doctor (pediatrician) born in New York City, Dr. Barbot gets to keep her appointed job, compliments of Mayor de Blasio.
Today, NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot Shea announced he accepts Dr. Barbot’s apology—so, there’s one.
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