NEW YORK (AP) — New York City’s mayor expressed concern Thursday over a heated phone call in March between his health commissioner and a top police commander over what was then a dangerously thin stockpile of face masks.
During the call, which took place as health care workers were desperate to obtain more protective gear to treat thousands of coronavirus patients streaming into hospitals, Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot clashed with NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan, who wanted more masks for officers.
The New York Post, citing an anonymous source, reported late Wednesday that Barbot retorted, “I don’t give two rats’ asses about your cops,” during the call. It didn’t report what Monahan said to prompt that response.
The head of the union representing police detectives, Paul DiGiacomo, called Barbot “a cop-hater.”
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