More than half of NYPD officers wish they never joined the force, according to a large internal survey.
An internal New York Police Department survey of nearly 6,000 officers found that 56% of NYPD cops say they wouldn’t become a police officer if they had a chance to do it all over again, according to the New York Post.
When asked if they feel the public disrespects them, 46% of officers believed they are disrespected versus 42% who didn’t believe so. The officers were asked if the public distrusts them, and 44% agreed while 41% disagreed. There were 73% of police poll participants who said the public does not have a good relationship with the NYPD.
A whopping 80% of NYPD officers, detectives, sergeants, lieutenants, and captains are hesitant to aggressively fight crime because of the ramifications of criminal liability, being sued, or being unfairly disciplined.
“My retirement date is next month,” said a 20-year veteran of the force. “I can’t wait to run out of here.”
“The city is absolutely not safe at all. Bail reform. Criminals being released. Everyone knows what’s going on,” he added.
A 16-year NYPD sergeant noted, “The far-left leaning politics are absolutely destroying the city of New York.”
As far as the future of New York City, 79% said that they don’t think New York will be safer in two years.
“New York City police officers are well past our breaking point, and Mayor de Blasio and the outgoing City Council are still piling on with policies that punish cops and erode public safety,” said Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch. “The intolerable environment and our substandard pay has every cop looking to get out as soon as they can.”
One of the places that New York’s Finest are fleeing to is Florida. Lakeland started a social media campaign appealing to New York City earlier this year, and even dispatched a team of recruiters to Times Square. The result was 14 NYPD officers ditched the Big Apple to head to the small community outside of Tampa, according to the Post.
During a press conference with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former NYPD cop Matthew Spoto said, “It was almost like I was ashamed to be a law enforcement officer” in New York. He added that Florida offered him the “tools and laws” to allow him to do his job.
A report released in April found that over 5,300 NYPD officers — approximately 15% of the force — retired or put in their papers to leave in 2020.