Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
NYPD Orders Unvaccinated Cops To Wear Masks. History Suggests They May Decline.
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Aug 19, 2021
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Jake Offenhartz/Gothamist
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Aug 19, 2021
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
With more than half of the NYPD still unvaccinated against COVID-19, New York City's police department will now require all cops to mask up or get the shot.
The new guidance orders members of the police force who have not submitted proof of full vaccination to wear a face covering at all times—regardless of whether they're indoors or outside. Violators will receive unspecified "disciplinary action," according to a department-wide memo sent out this week and first reported by the NY Post.
"As per Mayoral Executive Order 74, members of the service who wish to remove their face coverings in the workplace must be fully vaccinated and provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination to the Medical Division," a department spokesperson confirmed to WNYC/Gothamist on Thursday.
The memo also states that both vaccinated and unvaccinated officers must wear a face covering at all times when on duty inside schools, homeless shelters, health care settings, correctional facilities, and the transit system. They may adjust their masks temporarily while eating or drinking or to address a breathing condition.
Two police officers on a recent C train rice
Tipster
One officer told WNYC/Gothamist that he doubted the new policy would boost either mask or vaccination rates inside the police department. He noted that many senior NYPD officials have flouted mask rules throughout the pandemic, and in some cases have allegedly discouraged officers from wearing face coverings.
"It’s on all management and they aren’t wearing them so I doubt they’ll enforce anything," said the officer, who asked for anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak about the department. "Plus unless discipline is strictly defined, that could just mean: 'I told him to put it on.'”
The mask mandate follows Mayor Bill de Blasio's executive order last month requiring all city employees to get vaccinated or submit to weekly testing. But as the highly infectious delta variant spreads, the city's efforts to ramp up inoculations of municipal workers have produced limited results. As of this week, 58% of city workers had received at least one shot, an increase of four percentage points in the last four weeks.
The rate is even lower among the 54,000 members of the city's police department. According to an NYPD spokesperson, just 47% of uniformed and civilian employees had gotten the jab — an increase of 4% since last month, and just 6% since early June. At least 59 members of the NYPD have died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.
The memo states that officers with the rank of sergeant and above will be responsible for enforcing the mask rules and will soon receive more information about handling employee vaccination status.
While the NYPD has long required officers to adhere to mask standards, they faced repeated criticism about their lack of compliance. In October of last year, the NYPD circulated a memo stating that officers who didn't obey the mask guidelines would face disciplinary action.
It's unclear if any officers have faced penalties, and the NYPD did not respond to inquiries.
Tagged
COVID-19
nypd
health
masks
delta variant
Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Queens man found dead, police say, and injured woman is his mother, neighbors say
Police are investigating a related incident in which a 62-year-old woman was found injured beneath the Van Wyck Expressway.
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 14, 2026 at 7:39 p.m. ET
Man shot by ICE in NYC's Marble Hill said federal officers never identified themselves
The wounded man said he didn't learn ICE agents were involved until he woke up in the hospital.
By
Arya Sundaram
and
Samantha Max
News
Man shot by ICE in NYC's Marble Hill said federal officers never identified themselves
The wounded man said he didn't learn ICE agents were involved until he woke up in the hospital.
By
Arya Sundaram
and
Samantha Max
Brooklyn school dean says MTA officers assaulted him over a $3 bus fare he says he paid
By
Carol Chen
National Grid customers in NYC will see higher gas bills this winter
By
Rosemary Misdary
Bruce Blakeman joins Gov. Hochul in support for expanding NY rape law
By
Jon Campbell
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .