The NYPD is touting a report yr for hiring new officers, with greater than 4,000 contemporary recruits sworn in Wednesday — whilst police union leaders argue a mass exodus of cops remains to be plaguing the division.
The variety of New York Metropolis cops in uniform now stands at almost 35,000, the best stage since Could 2022, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch mentioned as the brand new batch of recruits have been sworn in.
“At present marks a defining second in your lives and a historic second for the NYPD,” Tisch instructed the brand new officers.
“With the 1,142 of your getting into the police academy in the present day, the NYPD has now employed greater than 4,000 officers this yr, making this the biggest hiring yr on report,” she mentioned.
“That issues as a result of there are individuals who would have you ever consider that policing is a occupation in retreat,” Tisch continued. “Let me be clear, that narrative is incorrect.”
The 4,056 cops employed this yr topped the earlier report of three,231 set in 1984, police knowledge exhibits.
By comparability, simply 2,632 cops have been employed final yr, and 1,978 in 2019, the stats present.
However cops are nonetheless leaving the power in droves, the Police Benevolent Affiliation, town’s largest union repping NYPD cops, famous.
Greater than 3,400 of New York’s Best have give up or retired over the past 12 months, partially offsetting the historic good points, based on the PBA.
“There was a time when recruits entered the academy planning to put on our uniform for his or her total profession,” PBA President Patrick Hendry mentioned in an announcement.
“At present, too lots of our recruits are viewing the NYPD as a stepping stone to a greater regulation enforcement job, one with a extra manageable work load.”
The NYPD has been hemorrhaging cops in recent times, shedding greater than 15,000 rank and file officers since 2020. Simply 8,000 potential recruits utilized to hitch the power in 2025, in comparison with 18,000 in 2017, officers mentioned.
Previous to the brand new recruits being sworn in, the PBA mentioned the ranks noticed a deficit of about 500 cops over the previous 12 months as a result of retirements and resignations.
Hendry mentioned a median of 285 cops have give up the power each month since December 2024.
“Along with getting recruits within the door, our metropolis leaders have to work with us to maintain them on the job,” he mentioned.
NYPD brass has pushed to fill the division’s dwindling ranks all yr, staring in February when Tisch lowered the faculty credit score necessities whilst she reinstated a compulsory 1.5 mile run for recruits.
In October, the division stepped up the efforts with a new “Again the Blue” recruitment drive that included a beefed-up promoting blitz.
Tisch mentioned Wednesday that the recruitment drives are paying off — and that regardless of the PBA’s fear concerning the badge drain, anticipated retirements are factored in.
“The NYPD didn’t expertise an sudden or excessive wave of exits” in 2025, she mentioned.
“Retirements this yr have been precisely what we projected primarily based on the three,700 officers that we employed 20 years in the past in 2005,” Tisch added.
“Extra importantly, regardless of what critics say, the variety of individuals leaving the division earlier than they’re eligible for his or her full pension is down by greater than 40% since 2022,” she added. “In truth, this yr we’re outpacing attrition by greater than 800 officers.”
— Extra reporting by Tina Moore
