NYPD Officers Say They Wish They’d Never Joined the Force

Over half of the NYPD wish they never joined the force.

Crime is up in the state.

Officers consider a migration to Florida.

Liberal politics are hurting the department.

(NewsReady.com) – In 2001, when the Twin Towers fell in Manhattan, wearing a New York City Police Department (NYPD) uniform came with a sense of honor and commanded both admiration and respect. Sadly, a recent internal department survey of active NYPD officers showed that’s not necessarily the case anymore. According to a recent survey, more than half of the roughly 6,000 cops participating said they wished they never joined the force.

Police Benevolent Association (PBA) President Patrick Lynch pointed to the meager pay and “intolerable environment” as reasons police officers are looking for a way out of the profession. While it’s true that cops don’t historically wield a hefty paycheck, it may be the lack of respect for officers of the law that are pushing police out the door.

Lynch described officers are “well past” their breaking point. He said the law enforcers need renewed support from their leadership to clean up the current mess at the NYPD.

Rising Crime and Apprehension

Problems with morale aren’t the only issues plaguing the police department in New York City. Statistics show crime is on the rise. Comparing October numbers to the year prior, robbery is up 15.8%, felony assault numbers increased by 13.8%, and overall crime rose 11.2% in the Big Apple.

Considering the increased judgment of how officers do their jobs, the numbers aren’t surprising. The PBA president said police are trying to navigate through a hostile environment with Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council creating policies that “punish cops and erode public safety.”

Internal poll supports Lynch’s position with an overwhelming 80% of officers polled being afraid to enforce the law and stop the criminal activity because of the increased threat of being sued or unfairly disciplined for simply doing the job they signed up to do. In March, the council made it possible to file civil lawsuits against law enforcement.

Fleeing the State

In October, Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reached out to officers from other states, offering them a $5,000 bonus to enforce the laws in Florida. More than a dozen of the NYPD’s finest already took the leader up on his proposition, and they’re relocating to the Sunshine State. Looking at the climate among the rank and file in New York City, more cops might not be far behind.