NYPD Officers Continue to Take Early Retirement

By Yehudit Garmaise

When 800 off-duty NYC police officers were spotted standing in line last week to learn more about retirement benefits, the officers shared they had many reasons to leave the force early.

"We have significantly more retirees than active members. This session filled up so quickly,” Patrick Henry, the president of the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) told Fox5ny.com. Henry added that a November event will provide information for 800 more cops who would also like to retire early. 

Other police officers, however, report that NYPD retirement levels vary “with no rhyme, nor reason.”

While the calls that broke out in 2020 to “de-fund police departments” nationwide led to what one member of the NYPD called, “a level of disrespect out in the street.”

Other police officers, however, say that Mayor Adams’ pro-police leadership has brought back New Yorkers’ support for the cops and that support for the police in Boro Park is “very good.”

Morale among police officers also continues to suffer as a result of New York’s bail reform laws, which Mayor Adams has many times said requires cops to arrest the same criminals over and over again in what the mayor called, “a revolving door.”

"We're losing veteran police officers who are out in the streets every day risking their lives to protect New Yorkers,” said Henry, who called for larger pensions, better incentives, and increased manpower to retain veteran officers.

"One of the main reasons is our police officers are leaving at 20 years is because there's no incentive to stay past 20 years financially,” pointed out Henry, whose ideas have the support of Mayor Adams, who recently agreed to oversee a new contract with the PBA. 

Other police officers, however, reported satisfaction with their wages, which, in April, were just renegotiated in a contract that extends to 2025.

Just months ago, the NYPD received what one cop called “a great contract not only with big pay raises but with retroactive wage increases to compensate for the last eight years.”

“A cop with five and half years on the force earns no less than $130,000 a year with full health benefits, and an extremely generous pension that literally lasts a lifetime,” one long-time NYPD officer told BoroPark24. “Not too bad, right? By working overtime and nights, police officers can easily make upwards of $150,000. Plus, the cops who rank above police officers, such as detectives, sergeants, lieutenants, captains, and beyond, earn much more than that. Even more than double that.”