On Tuesday, a judge in New York ruled that the NYPD could not fire an officer who refused to get the experimental COVID vaccine and had sued the city over its mandatory COVID vaccination policy.
Alexander Deletto, a 43-year-old police officer, had his request for a religious exemption granted after the city failed to provide any explanation for rejecting his request. The NYPD simply stated, “does not meet criteria”, in response to his request.
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arlene Bluth ruled that Officer Deletto should get to keep his job and noted in her ruling that the city gave him no explanation for rejecting his request.
“The hollow and generic phrase ‘does not meet criteria’ cannot be rational because not a single item particular to [Deletto] was discussed and not a single reason for the decision was given,” said Bluth in her ruling. “It is the duty of the agency to explain why it made the decision.”
According to a report by the New York Post, this new “precedent-setting” ruling could help nearly two dozen other police officers who have filed similar lawsuits.
From the New York Post:
Deletto — a nine-year veteran of the force who works out of the 88th Precinct in Clinton Hill — filed suit the day before he was set to be fired on Aug. 5 for not getting vaccinated.
Bluth then granted a temporary restraining order, allowing the father of five to stay on the force pending her decision.
“His biggest concern when he wandered into my office in early August was how he was going to support his children,” Mermigis told The Post Wednesday. “He didn’t know what he was going to do, but under no circumstances was he going to betray his religious beliefs.”
Mermigis said his client was “elated” at the judge’s decision that he can keep his job and remain unvaccinated.
“He feels vindicated,” the attorney said, adding that Deletto can now breathe “a big sigh of relief.”
Mermigis has filed more than 20 cases on behalf of cops opposing their termination for not getting the jab.
