New York City police officers are retiring at a record rate, and the situation has reached a point from which Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch believes New York City may never be able to return.
Over 200 police officers have jumped ship since January, marking a shocking 36% jump in departures since the same time period in 2022.
A veteran Manhattan police officer told the New York Post, "The NYPD needs to be rebuilt from the ground up — it’s unfixable in its current state."
That officer explained that aside from politics, the NYPD is horribly mismanaged. "Precinct cops are being forced to work an inhumane amount of overtime, including on their days off, while being penalized for minor uniform and administrative infractions. Meanwhile, precincts barely have enough personnel to meet the minimum required to safely answer 911 calls."
2021 saw a record number of officers abandon their benefits to get out of New York City. Now, 2022 threatens to break that record again as 1,400 police officers are set to leave unless something changes.
Many police officers have escaped to more conservative areas that are willing to enforce the law and believe in strong law enforcement. There is no telling just how bad things are going to get in New York City if things continue as they have.