New York health commissioner apologizes for nasty rebuff of police request for coronavirus masks

New York City's health commissioner apologized Monday for her foul-mouthed dismissal of a police request for masks and other protective gear when the deadly coronavirus hit, amid growning pressure to address the matter. 

"I don’t give two rats’ asses about your cops," Commissioner Oxiris Barbot reportedly said in response to police Chief Terence Monahan's request for safety equipment to keep his officers from becoming infected. 

Barbot made the comment in March, but the controversy didn't heat up until the New York Post reported it last week.

On Monday, Barbot issued a statement in part saying, “I apologized to that police official then and today, I apologize to the NYPD for leaving any impression whatsoever that I don’t have utmost respect for our police department, which plays a critical role on the frontlines each and every day to keep our city safe.”

She further explained that in mid-March she was asked to provide the New York Police Department to supply it with a half million N-95 masks and other personal protection gear, amid “terrible short supply.”

“I wished we had sufficient numbers to meet their full request and were ultimately able to partially fulfill what was sought,” Barbot continued. “This regrettably led to an argument in which words were exchanged between a police official and myself.”

Mayor Bill de Blaso on Thursday wade into the controversy.

"I need to understand what happened here, it does need to be addressed," he said. "If it is accurate, the commissioner needs to apologize to the men and women of the NYPD."

The New York police force includes roughly 36,000 men and women, serving about 8 million residents, making it a critical part of the city's infrastructure and an influential voice in city politics, policy and government. 

De Blasio spoke as police unions were already calling for Barbot's dismissal. 

Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said the commissioner should be fired and "forced to look in the eye of every police family who lost a hero to this virus.

The Sergeants Benevolent Association tweeted that the group thinks Barbot "should be immediately fired." 

"[D]r Barbot's comments make it clear she has no personal or professional regard for the police," association President Ed Mullins said.