NYPD Chief of Transportation William Morris Succumbs to Coronavirus

The NYPD has lost another member to COVID-19. Chief of Transportation William Morris passed away after battling the virus. He served the department for over three decades.

This is personal for me. Ive covered the NYPD for years and watched this department get hit hard by this pandemic. The officers cant work from home. They cant social distance while responding to calls. They show up every day knowing the risk.

Chief Morris was a well-respected figure within the department. His role overseeing transportation meant he was responsible for keeping traffic moving in one of the worlds busiest cities – a thankless job that most New Yorkers never think about until something goes wrong.

The coronavirus has torn through the NYPD ranks. Thousands of officers have tested positive. Many have died. The department that normally fields about 35,000 uniformed members has seen its ranks depleted by illness even as crime doesnt stop and calls keep coming.

What makes this so difficult is that these deaths feel so senseless. We dont have enough protective equipment. We dont have enough testing. First responders are getting sick because we as a society failed to prepare.

Commissioner Shea released a statement honoring Chief Morris and his decades of service. The department will hold a memorial when circumstances allow. For now his colleagues mourn while continuing to work through the crisis.

New York has lost so many people these past weeks. Each number is a person. Each statistic is a family destroyed. Chief William Morris served this city for over thirty years. He deserved better than this.

Rest in peace Chief.