Budget Legislation Aims To Increase Longevity in NYPD

(USNewsBreak.com) – The New York Police Department (NYPD) has a serious retention issue. Not only did more than 2,900 officers retire or leave the force before retirement last year, but the trend has continued into 2024. Police Benevolent Association (PBA) President Patrick Hendry recently said they’re leaving becausbudgete “there aren’t any extra incentives for them to stay.” Now, New York is trying a measure that legislators hope will convince law enforcement personnel to push their retirement well beyond the 20-year mark.

On Saturday, April 20, New York lawmakers passed a $237 billion state budget, the largest in its history. They buried an incentive into the package for top-rated NYPD officers that would see their pay increase if they stayed on more than 20 years. For instance, those who remain on the force and retire at 25 to 29 years of service would receive a payout of $112,000 annually, a $7,000 increase. Those who stay for 30 years and beyond would receive a payout of $125,000.

Top-rated NYPD cops to get $12K more each year in pensions as city tries to slow staff exodus https://t.co/yKsn53pI9U pic.twitter.com/TzVIwSuMas

— New York Post (@nypost) April 22, 2024

Councilmembers implemented the change by lobbying officials in Albany when they saw how the NYPD was struggling. Over the past four years, attrition has grown significantly. For instance, in 2023, a total of 2,931 officers left the force — they quit or retired — while the force only recruited 2,345. That left a shortfall of 586 officers. Additionally, the NYPD has seen its lowest employment numbers in three decades. In 1990, the city’s seven million-plus residents had 32,451 cops to keep them safe. Fast forward to 2024, and more than eight million people are living in the Big Apple, with only 33,541 officers. That is just 1,090 more cops to serve more than a million more residents.

Increasing the retirement salary will also increase the pension fund by $700,000 in 2025, and it will continue to grow over the years. Hendry said the incentive “will help keep some of our best cops on the job.” Still, he stressed that the legislature still had “a long way to go to get NYC police officers the competitive benefits and working conditions they deserve.”