Shea says number of NYPD cops with coronavirus still growing

The NYPD is “still climbing the hill” — with hundreds of more cops calling out sick each day as the pandemic COVID-19 plagues the department’s staffing levels, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said Wednesday.

One in six cops were out sick, leaving the NYPD short nearly 6,200 officers, according to the commissioner.

“I’m eagerly awaiting when that inversion point happens where the number of people going out sick passes and crosses the people coming back,” Shea said, appearing on CNN Wednesday morning.

“I think we’re still climbing the hill.”

Despite the thinning ranks, the commissioner said Big Apple cops are shifting some focus to adapt to the crisis.

“We’ve added a lot of things to our repertoire,” Shea said. “We’re reaching out more than ever to any New Yorkers that need help — whether it’s delivering food, calling domestic violence victims to make sure they’re safe — and we’re still out there on patrol.”

The city’s top cop, however, said there were no plans for the New York State Police to back-fill the department’s ranks — despite Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s offer on Tuesday.

“It’s the motto and the mantra here is next woman next man up,” Shea said — keeping the door open in the future. “Anyone that can help will be called up to help. It’s a constant state of planning for this crisis.”

More than 200 more members tested positive for the coronavirus Wednesday morning — bringing the total count of confirmed cases about 1,400, according to the top cop.

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