A judge says the New York City Police Department must wait until next week before it can fire dozens of its own officers.The NYPD said Thursday an internal investigation found 31 officers were hired illegally and should be relieved of their duties.

The NYPD is purging its ranks of 31 police officers who were improperly hired in 2023 and 2024, a department spokesperson said Thursday. The officers will be forced to resign or will be fired that day, the spokesperson said.

A New York State Supreme Court judge has granted a temporary restraining order preventing the NYPD from firing nearly three dozen police officers, according to the Police Benevolent Association (PBA).