What Is Blue Flu and Is it Legal? Police Officers "Strike" Explained

"Blue Flu" Is a Way for Police to Technically Go on Strike and Keep Their Jobs

Jun. 19 2020, Updated 12:22 p.m. ET

If you're a police officer and want to go on strike for any reason, then you'll cross and achieve this, but do not expect to have a task looking forward to your for your department, or any for that subject, in the event you do. That's as a result of because of the nature of how serious their jobs are, they can't just up and move and strike and protest in the event that they want to.

So what is a cop to do? That's where the "Blue Flu" is available in.

What is "Blue Flu"?

No, it is not when you and your friends have been on a dry spell spanning several months. It's when a big crew of police officers utilize their sick go away simultaneously to strike against or protest a selected action, in particular in spaces that prohibit cops from collaborating in any large-scale workforce protest.

There was once a time in U.S. history when police moves have been, through and vast, legal. In 1919 Calvin Coolidge put a prevent to all of that protesting industry by way of enticing the products and services of the state's militia.

The first grand, collective plot from police officers to engage in "Blue Flu" was once orchestrated in 1971 through New York Police unions. Officers jointly settled on six consecutive days, in advance, to use their ill time.

Some well-known politicians have taken notoriously strong stances in opposition to not simply police strikes, however the observe of mass in poor health call-outs. Ronald Reagan fired a whole group of workers of air traffic controllers in 1981 when it was once de-certified after the then-president's management found it in charge of enticing in unlawful strike job.

New York City Mayor John Lindsay, who used to be a bit of of a celebrity in his day, making regular appearances on Good Morning America, used to be also identified to take a notoriously sturdy stance against legislation enforcement that threatened to take strike motion. Lindsay "vowed he would fire the entire police department if it came to that" when relating to a possible Blue Flu strike.

Will there be a "Blue Flu" in 2020?

Atlanta PD has assured the city that it was still completely capable of protective people although a ton of officers in the division are calling out to protest the prosecution of a fellow police officer.

Some officers are staying house en masse and are using their in poor health days to do it with a view to protest the allegations against two white police officers who have been charged with the fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks.

Prosecutors are charging Officer Garrett Rolfe with prison murder and 10 different dying counts. He may just face the loss of life penalty or existence in prison with out parole if fully convicted. Devan Brosnan was once placed on administrative depart after the incident and is recently facing irritated attack and different fees that incorporates "violating his oath as an officer," in line with Deseret News.

There also are rumors that NYPD officers are also considering of staging a "Blue Flu" strike of their very own on July 4, an afternoon when mass celebrations and gatherings usually necessitate the implementation of legislation enforcement essentially the most. 

Some say that mass textual content chains are being driven to police officers encouraging them to both take the day without work or request an ambulance when they show as much as paintings.

The bodycam pictures of Officers Rolfe and Brosnan shows that Brooks used to be intoxicated and asleep in the back of the wheel of his automobile sooner than. The breathalyzer test confirmed he was once above the legal restrict and Brooks had a perfectly calm dialog with Rolfe and Brosnan, till the officers attempted to handcuff him.

Brooks grabbed a taser in his car and tried to flee, and then fired the taser on the officers.

Rolfe fired at Brooks as he used to be escaping. He died as a result of his wounds. Prosecutors argue that the officers knew the taser wasn't a risk after Brooks fired it two times, whilst the legal professionals representing Rolfe and Brosnan stated the flash from the taser may just've easily been misconstrued as a firearm and the discharging in their guns used to be purely out of self defense.

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