NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A veteran NYPD officer assigned to the department's transit bureau has died due to COVID-19, Commissioner Dermot Shea announced Sunday.
Leonardo Chavez, 50, passed away from complications with his infection on Saturday, Shea said. He was a 21-year veteran who joined the force in 2000.
“The NYPD family is grieving today as we announce the passing of Officer Leonardo Chavez, whose battle w/ #COVID ended yesterday,” Shea wrote on Twitter.
“Leonardo, his loved ones, & colleagues are forever in our prayers. His 21 years of service & dedication to the people of NYC will never be forgotten.”
The NYPD is among the most hardest hit city agencies during the pandemic, with dozens of officers and other staff having died to the virus. Still, the NYPD has struggled to convince its officers to get vaccinated, with only about half of the force having recieved their shots, according to city data.
Shea has publicly urged officers to get vaccinated and has supported the idea of a state or federal vaccine mandate for law enfrocement.
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