Judge denies temporary restraining order in PBA’s vaccine mandate lawsuit

A state Supreme Court judge has denied the NYC PBA’s request for a temporary restraining order to halt the implementation of Mayor de Blasio’s vaccine mandate for police officers while the PBA’s lawsuit moves forward.

PBA President Patrick J. Lynch said:

“Today’s ruling sets the city up for a real crisis. The haphazard rollout of this mandate has created chaos in the NYPD. 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. Instead, police officers are being told to make a possibly life-changing decision in a matter of days to meet a completely arbitrary deadline, while the NYPD’s leadership spins its wheels and offers no guidance. This not only violates police officers’ rights — it will inevitably result in fewer cops available to protect our city. The PBA will continue to fight the fight and will immediately appeal this ruling, but New Yorkers should know who to blame for any shortfall in city services: Mayor Bill de Blasio, Police Commissioner Shea and the other bureaucrats who are putting politics before public health and public safety.”