The NYPD is experiencing a record-breaking rate of officer resignations, with 239 quitting in the first two months of 2023 alone, representing a 36% increase from the same period in 2022 and a 117% increase from 2021. According to the New York Post, this is the highest number of resignations for the first two months of a year since 2007.
At the current rate, it is projected that 1,400 officers will resign this year before qualifying for retirement. Some officers leave before qualifying for a pension because of anti-cop politics, a revolving-door criminal justice system, and low wages. The exodus began after the George Floyd murder in 2020, which sparked nationwide protests and calls to defund the police.
The NYPD’s staffing emergency is rapidly approaching a point of no return, says Patrick Lynch, President of the Police Benevolent Association. One veteran Manhattan police officer claims the situation is exacerbated by the fact that “hundreds of cops are being hidden under fake assignments or assigned to headquarters sitting at a desk all day and are considered ‘untouchable’ for patrol or enforcement duty because they have high-ranking supervisors protecting them.”
Additionally, precinct cops are forced to work excessive overtime and are penalized for minor infractions. They are also facing staff shortages, with precincts barely able to meet the minimum number of personnel required to answer 911 calls safely.
Recruitment specialists say the department must find a way to restore the allure and luster of the force to prevent further resignations. Spero Georgedakis, a former Miami SWAT team officer, who helps recruit and relocate New York City cops to Florida departments, says he receives “the standard story” from NYPD officers that “the job is impossible to do.”
Officers reportedly want to move to Florida because they experience lower stress, higher pay, and better support. According to police sources, the NYPD is struggling to keep and hire cops, and almost every precinct in New York City is understaffed, which is reflected in the response time data. NYPD data shows that all crime categories except murders and shootings have increased over the past two years.
