Suffolk County, NY, is hoping to hire officers away from New York City. (Photo: Suffolk County PD)
Suffolk County, NY, is set to dramatically boost its police ranks — including by potentially siphoning off cops from the NYPD who are furious over the Big Apple’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
County Executive Steve Bellone has announced that the county is hiring 705 law enforcement personnel, including almost 470 sworn officers. Ten percent of the new hires will speak Spanish, CBS reports.
“This is the largest one-year increase in law enforcement personnel in Suffolk County history,’’ Bellone, who is eyeing a run for governor, told The Post on Sunday. “We have opposed the slogan, “Defund the Police.’ ”
Suffolk’s gain could be the NYPD’s pain — as scores of Big Apple officers are furious over Mayor Bill de Blasio’s vaccine mandate for city workers, including police. Deadline to be vaccinated was Nov. 1.
Suffolk County officers are not required to get the shot.
“The [NYPD cops] who don’t want to get vaccinated, they’re going to run to Suffolk County,’’ a longtime city officer told The Post.
