Surge of NYPD Officers File for Unemployment

The radical left’s “Defund the Police” movement has spurred a wave of violent crimes all over the country as Democrat city leaders cut funding to police departments and restrict their ability to do their job promoting law and order.

Some police officers have had enough. The brave men and women who serve as law enforcement in New York City are filing for retirement faster than the NYPD can handle—the NYPD is seeing a 411% increase in retirement applications– shortly after Mayor Bill DeBlasio announced a $1 billion cut from the NYPD’s budget. According to the New York Post, those filing for retirement are citing lack of respect and loss of overtime pay.

Shootings in New York tripled last week compared to the same time in 2019, yet the anti-police sentiment continues.

Some police officers who spoke to the New York Post about the influx in retirement applications said:

“This is the best time to leave,” one cop said.

“You’ve padded the numbers as high as you can pad them.”

Another cop noted, “When they cut the OT, a lot of people were done.”

“Also, there’s another class hitting their 20th year in September, so that will be another group leaving,” the source added, noting that cops often retire once they hit the minimum requirement for pension vestment.

A Brooklyn cop said the NYPD was facing a “perfect storm,” noting that “cops made the most overtime they will for a long time — at least until next year” and citing rumors that “grade promotions” for detectives and “special assignment money” for sergeants and lieutenants will be canceled.

“You have to be crazy to stay on a job where you are losing money, abused by the people you are trying to protect and not appreciated by the politicians,” the source said.

A Manhattan detective also noted the impact of controversial criminal justice and bail reform laws.

“It is frustrating — you work on a case and then the suspect is let go,” the 25-year veteran said.

“Why put your job on the line, when no one appreciates you or has your back?”

In a prepared statement, the head of the Police Benevolent Association blamed lawmakers for having “completely dismantled our justice system” and called the rash of retirement applications “one answer to the question on every police officer’s mind: How are we supposed to do our job in this environment?”

“And now that crime is out of control, they want to blame us for that, too,” PBA president Pat Lynch said.

“Whether we have 20 years on the job or only two, police officers are tired of trying to sort out these mixed messages. Many of us are looking elsewhere.”

Lieutenants Benevolent Association president Lou Turco said cops feel “demoralized and abandoned” by politicians.

“Overtime plays a part, it happened in 2008 and 2009 and after 9/11, but this is not about overtime now,” he claimed. “They feel abandoned by the silent majority and they are leaving. They don’t feel appreciated.”

The foundation of the American dream is rooted in law and order, but the “Defund the Police” movement being embraced by the radical left who seek to promote anarchy is leaving American communities everywhere vulnerable to opportunistic criminals. New York’s Finest, the men and women who serve on the thin blue line feel that they have no where to turn and are being forced into retirement by Democrats who use “police reform” as a buzzword rather than working with Republicans to pass meaningful bipartisan reform.

Democrats must follow President Trump’s leadership on this as he urges the nation to find “common ground”. “I strongly oppose the radical and dangerous efforts to defend, dismantle and dissolve our police departments, especially now when we’ve achieved the lowest recorded crime rates in recent history,” Mr. Trump said. Americans know the truth. Without police, there’s chaos. Without law, there’s anarchy, and without safety, there’s catastrophe.”