George Floyd Death: Massive exodus hits NYPD, 272 officers file for retirement
Not less than 272 uniformed officers from the New York Police Department have filed for their retirement from services.
The move, which was made known on Saturday June 27, 2020, followed the murderous killing of George Floyd on May 25.
An NYPD source stated that the recent departures could signal a coming crisis for the 36,000-member department, which also faces a $1 billion budget reduction.
“We are worried about a surge in attrition reducing our headcount beyond what we can sustain without new recruits, and are afraid the City Council has not taken the surge into account,” he said.
Police Benevolent Association president, Patrick Lynch, said, “Cops are at their breaking point, whether they have 20 years on the job or only two.
“We are all asking the same question: ‘How can we keep doing our job in this environment?’ And that is exactly what the anti-cop crowd wants. If we have no cops because no one wants to be a cop, they will have achieved their ultimate goal.”
Ed Mullins, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, said that nearly 80 of his members had filed for retirement.
The union leader added that people have had enough and no longer feel it’s worth risking their personal well-being for a thankless position.
“There is no leadership, no direction, no training for new policies,” he said.
“Department brass is paralyzed and too afraid to uphold their sworn oath in fear of losing their jobs. Sadly, the people of this city will soon experience what New York City was like in the 1980s,” he added.
Floyd’s death has triggered nationwide protests, and some NYPD officers see themselves as collateral damage.
“It’s an all-out war on cops and we have no support,” said one veteran Brooklyn cop, who is retiring next month.
“I wanted to wait for my 30th anniversary in October, but the handwriting is on the wall,” he stated.
The angry police officers also complained that they are expected to fight crime with fewer tools than ever, while getting no backing from politicians.
“If you have your time in and have an opportunity to do something else, get out while you can,” advised Joseph Giacalone, a retired NYPD sergeant and adjunct professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan.
Giacalone said he had received three emails in “the past week or so” from students asking for advice about changing their career choice.
Giacalone said he has not gotten “these kinds” of emails since the Michael Brown killing in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014.
He added that he never discouraged anyone about the job. He stressed that he just explained the pros and cons and also reminded students there are federal law enforcement jobs.
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