The NYPD base suffered another blow in June, as 523 cops retired or quit — the most in a month in at least a decade, according to staggering pension fund statistics obtained by The Post.
Of these, 400 have retired and 123 others have resigned, according to a police source.
To date, 2,119 cops have left their jobs in 2022, of which 1,472 have retired and 647 have quit, a spike of 38% from the previous high of 1,535 for the first six months of 2020, according to the attrition figures.
“The exodus has become a stampede. We are not just losing experienced veterans. We are also losing cops in their prime who are taking their talents elsewhere,” said Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch.
“The NYPD cannot continue to cover up this staffing crisis with more and more overtime. It will inspire even more cops to look for other opportunities where they can make more money and have a better quality of life,” he added.
The rush to the NYPD Pension Section office at 1 Police Plaza on Thursday looked like a concert ticket giveaway, the law enforcement source noted. Most of the “hundreds” in line had filed their papers earlier and were surrendering their IDs and shields, the person added.
“NYPD members are leaving in droves. I’ve been to this office about 2 dozen times and never seen more than 2-3 people waiting. tweeted retired NYPD detective Rob O’Donnellwhich included a photo of the packed room.
“Not even months after 9/11, it was like that”, blue twittera retired policeman from the emergency services unit. Another commenter tweeted a photo of the same line snaking through the door.
Last month, the Post reported that more than 1,500 officers had either resigned or retired.
Officers typically work 20 years or more to collect their full pension, which can amount to 50% of their average end-of-career salary. Data obtained by The Post shows those who are “running their time” or using accumulated vacation days before they leave. These cops are still counted in the NYPD’s own statistics as part of the force.
Anti-cop hostility, bail reform, rising crime and the city’s vaccination mandate — currently on hiatus — have stirred up the base, which is seeking greener pastures by taking more tests for public office and heading to police departments, such as in Long Island, or the Port Authority, MTA, and out of state, such as Florida, Texas, and Arizona.
Frustrated NYPD detectives have also “had enough,” The Post reported this week. More than 100 investigators retired in June and another 75 are expected to hand in their paperwork this month.
Joseph Giacalone, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a former NYPD sergeant, said there were only two other people in line when he filed for retirement in 2011.
As for the mass exodus, he does not see an about-face any time soon. “It seems that there are only two types of NYPD officers left: those who want to come out and can and those who want to come out but can’t.”
RACE FOR OUTINGS
Annual attrition until June 30
Year/Retirements/Resignations/Total
2022/1,472/647/2,119
2021/1064/443/1507
2020/1236/299/1535
2019/1056/241/1297
2018/789/207/996
Source: NYPD Pension Fund data
