TRICK OR TREAT? PRPD TO GET ‘BLUE FLU’ ON HALLOWEEN OVER RETIREMENT BENEFITS

SAN JUAN — Some 2,500 members of the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) are expected to call in sick this morning because a dispute with the government over planned cuts in retirement benefits.

A minority of officers are planning be sick between 4:00 a.m. today and 4:00 a.m. October 31 — Halloween day on Sunday.

At least 12 cities are now affected as police departments from Ponce, Salinas, Isabela, Mayagüez, San Sebastián, Dorado, Camuy, Cabo Rojo, Buchanan Expressway began closing down today, leaving residents of those areas totally without police service.

Puerto Rico police precincts actually started to shut down last night, as part of the strike. Protestors say the government has gone back on promises about their pensions will they claim will now be cut by more than half.

Meanwhile, Puerto Rico firefighters also promised solidarity in joining the sickout this Halloween weekend.