Officers leaving NYPD is like a ‘stampede,’ PBA president says – Law Officer

NEW YORK – As anti-police hostility, bail reform, rising crime and the implementation of the city’s punitive vaccination fiasco — currently on hold — takes place, rank and file members of the New York Police Department are rushing to the exits like a “stampede.” They are looking to greener pastures by taking other civil service tests and heading to police departments, such as on Long Island, or the Port Authority, MTA and out of state, like Florida, Texas and Arizona.

NYPD suffered another huge hit in June, as 523 police officers departed. Among those, 123 were resignations, the most in a single month in at least a decade, according to staggering pension fund stats obtained by the New York Post. The rest are retirements, many of which are coming sooner than originally anticipated.

To date, 2,119 of New York’s finest have bid farewell to the job in 2022, with 1,472 retiring and 647 resigning, a 38% increase over the previous record of 1,535 for the first six months of 2020, the attrition numbers show, according to the Post.

For those who remember recent history, the 2020 spike came amid the George Floyd riots that were taking place nationwide, but were particularly brutal in New York City.

“The exodus has become a stampede. We’re not only losing experienced veterans. We’re also losing cops in the prime of their careers who are taking their talents elsewhere,” said Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch.

“The NYPD cannot continue papering over this staffing crisis with more and more overtime. That will drive even more cops to pursue other opportunities where they can make more money and have a better quality of life,” he added.

Departing officers overwhelmed NYPD’s Pension Section office at 1 Police Plaza on Thursday, according to a police source who noted it resembled a concert ticket giveaway.

Most of the “hundreds” of police officers in line had filed their papers earlier and were turning in their ID and shield, the source told the Post.

“NYPD members are leaving in droves. I’ve been to this office about 2 dozen times and have never seen more than 2-3 people waiting,” tweeted retired NYPD detective Rob O’Donnell, who included a photo of the crowded room.

The NYPD Pension Section today. NYPD members are leaving in droves. I’ve been to this office about 2 dozen times and have never seen more than 2-3 people waiting. pic.twitter.com/f35uet8KaO

— Rob O’Donnell (@odonnell_r) June 30, 2022

“Not even months after 9/11 was it like this,” commented Blue, a retired Emergency Service Unit cop. Another commenter tweeted a photo of the same line snaking out the door.

Line was out the door… pic.twitter.com/SkO8IncEIE

— Al (@AlBeachGuy) June 30, 2022

NYPD police personnel usually work 20 years or more to collect their full pension, which can equate to 50% of their final average salary.