(NationRise.com) – New York City has lost 2,516 police officers in 2023, with “inhumane” forced overtime cited as the most common reason.
Patrick Hendry, president of the nation’s foremost police union (Police Benevolent Association), said the problem stems from years of police numbers declining. As the police force decreases, the city has had to ask existing officers to work more hours.
Nearly half of the officers who quit did so before earning their pension. That’s twice as many as those who left before receiving pension eligibility in 2020 during the pandemic and the height of the “Defund the Police” movement. Officers who serve for at least 20 years are eligible for an ongoing pension equal to half of their pay as an officer.
The mass exodus of NYPD officers comes as the city faces a significant surge in crime. The city reported 126,589 instances of the top seven major felonies. That’s 31,000 more than in 2019, the year before the pandemic began. The city has also experienced a 30% crime increase since Democrat Mayor Eric Adams assumed office.
The NYPD currently has 33,500 officers. However, that number is expected to drop to 29,000 in 2025 after planned budget cuts. Mayor Adams has told police departments their budgets must be slashed by 5%. He also stated that another round of cuts is likely early next year. Adams also announced cuts to the city’s Civilian Complaint Review Board and the Board of Corrections.
Many remaining officers are concerned that the problem will become more severe as New York City says that it will cancel several upcoming police academy classes. Officials announced the cancellations after a crisis of illegal immigrants has cost the city billions of dollars. That crisis is expected to cost the city $12 billion for the next few years. Hendry believes it will cause a “public safety disaster” at a time when 911 responses are already taking longer.
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