SICKENING DISS TO COPS
Health chief on mask plea: ‘I don’t give two rats’ asses’
New York City’s health commissioner blew off an urgent NYPD request for 500,000 surgical masks as the coronavirus crisis mounted — telling a highranking police official, “I don’t give two rats’ asses about your cops,” The Post has learned.
Dr. Oxiris Barbot made the heartless remark during a heated phone conversation in midMarch with NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday.
Monahan asked Barbot for 500,000 masks but she said she could provide only 50,000, the sources said.
“I don’t give two rats’ asses about your cops,” Barbot said, according to sources. “I need them for others.”
The conversation took place as increasing numbers of cops were calling out sick with symptoms of COVID-19 but before the department suffered its first casualties from the deadly respiratory disease, the sources said.
Although surgical masks don’t necessarily prevent wearers from being infected, they can prevent people from spreading it to others.
The NYPD has recorded 5,490 cases of the 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, called for Barbot to be fired over her “despicable and unforgivable” comments.
In the wake of Barbot’s crass rebuff of Monahan, NYPD officials learned the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene had a large stash of masks, ventilators and other equipment 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.
The federal Department of
Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency also learned about the situation, leading FEMA to supply the NYPD with Tyvek suits and disinfectant, sources said.
A source present during a crisisplan meeting at the city Office of Emergency Management’s Brooklyn headquarters in March recalled a “very tense moment” when Monahan complained to Mayor de Blasio in front of Barbot about the NYPD’s need for personal protective equipment, saying, “For weeks we haven’t gotten an answer.”
De Blasio, seated between Monahan and Barbot, asked, “Oxiris, what is he talking about?” the source said. When Monahan said the gear was vital to keeping cops safe, de Blasio said, “You definitely need it,” and told Barbot, “Oxiris, you’re going to fix this right now,” the source said.
Last week, Barbot was noticeably absent when Blasio announced that the city’s publichospital system would oversee a major testing and tracing program, even though the DOH has previously run similar programs.
Hizzoner also praised NYC Health + Hospitals head Dr. Mitchell Katz, saying, “When you have an inspired operational leader, you know, ‘pass the ball to them’ is my attitude.”
DOH spokesman Patrick Gallahue said there was a “heated exchange . . . where things were said out of frustration but no harm was wished on anyone.” Barbot “apologized for her contribution to the exchange,” he added.