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The New York Police Department has seen a spike in the number of cops calling it quits in the aftermath of George Floyd‘s death.
The New York Post reports that a record 272 uniformed officers filed for retirement in the weeks between Floyd’s May 25 death in Minneapolis police custody and Wednesday, June 24. That’s nearly double the number of retirement during that same time frame last year.
The department said that 138 cops put in their papers between late May and late June in 2019.
One NYPD source told the news outlet that the wave of resignations could preclude a crisis for the 36,000-member police force that is also facing a $1 billion budget cut as protesters demand government officials “defund the police.”
READ MORE: NYPD officer charged with using banned chokehold
Criticism of the NYPD has reached a fever pitch following the death of Floyd, a Black man who died as three former Minneapolis officers pinned him to the ground — one by placing a knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly 9 minutes — while handcuffed. Four officers have since been charged for murder or aiding in murder.
Protests against such brutality has spread all over the country and calls for diverting funds from police departments have led to members of the NYPD to see themselves as targets.
As one Brooklyn cop, who is retiring months shy of his 30th year on the job, told The Post: “It’s an all-out war on cops and we have no support.”
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch stated that new and veteran officers are “at their breaking point.”
READ MORE: Voice is heard saying ‘shoot those motherf**kers’ on NYPD radio
“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,” Lynch said. “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 80 members have put in for retirement and sees a police “exodus” due to morale being “at the lowest levels I’ve seen in 38 years.”
“People have had enough and no longer feel it’s worth risking their personal well-being for a thankless position,” Mullins continued. “There is no leadership, no direction, no training for new policies. 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.”
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