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New York City storeowners have boarded up their shops as coronavirus drains the NYPD's numbers.
On March 20th, N.Y. Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered all non-essential businesses to close as coronavirus rapidly spread throughout the state. Rather than simply close up their stores, some storeowners went a step further and covered their windows and doors with plywood.
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High-end boutiques, including Louis Vuitton, Kendra Scott and Jimmy Choo, look ready to weather riots or natural disasters instead of extended closures.
Some of the protective sheets carry hopeful messages, but the implication is a bit more pessimistic.
According to N.Y.P.D. data, crime has fallen by around 20% since the state implemented its “shelter-in-place” order. In that same time, over 1,000 police officers have tested positive for coronavirus, raising questions as to how well they can maintain peace if tensions start to rise.
On Thursday, 6,498 uniformed members of the force were on sick report, accounting for 18% of the department’s uniformed workers.
On Friday, Governor Cuomo pledged to support the N.Y.P.D., however he can.
“That’s a problem. That’s a problem in the NYPD, that’s a problem in the FDNY, it’s a problem all across the board,” Cuomo said during a press conference.
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“We’ll look to the localities — do they think there’s a level where they need backup — and then we’ll do everything we can to provide backup.”