TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - More than 40 Toledo police officers have called in sick Tuesday.
Some believe it's a "blue flu" or protest after Monday's unproductive meeting with city leaders about union concessions.
Toledo Police Chief Mike Navarre says the majority of the officers who called in sick are out of the operations division, which actually patrol streets and respond to 9-1-1 calls. Officers from the SWAT team and some detectives also called in sick, too.
34 officers called in sick for their overnight shifts late Monday night. The rest called in sick for day shifts Tuesday.
Navarre says the officers who reported to work handled the increase work load well and there were no problems.
However, some folks say the massive number of sick officers means it's a "blue flu" or protest after an unproductive meeting yesterday between the police union and the city over concessions.
A spokesperson for Mayor Mike Bell says the absences are above normal – but are not a true "blue flu."
Steve Herwat, Shirley Green and other Bell administration members met with the Toledo Police Patrolman's Association union Monday and apparently did not make much progress.
Sources say the mayor is not changing his position that officers pay more for their pensions and health care.
Both sides have been trying to reach an agreement on concessions for several weeks.
