By Joanna Putman
Police1
NEW YORK — Nearly a quarter of NYPD officers surveyed in a study by CUNY’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice reported actively seeking to leave the department, Gothamist reported.
The survey, which gathered responses from 1,823 officers, highlighted dissatisfaction with pay, work-life balance, equipment conditions and cleanliness of facilities as primary factors driving discontent, according to the report. Results showed that 23% of the respondents wanted to leave the department “as soon as a feasible opportunity arises.”
Assistant Professor Kenneth Quick, who conducted the study, pointed out that the increase in mandatory overtime has severely impacted officers’ work-life balance, leading to what he termed “organizational cannibalism” where the remaining staff shoulder an unsustainable workload, according to the report.
The Police Benevolent Association also cited an ongoing “staffing crisis,” with roughly 200 officers leaving the department each month. While the NYPD has recruited over 2,600 new officers this year, the challenge of retaining experienced staff remains, with the PBA calling on leadership to improve work-life balance and equitably manage overtime to prevent further attrition, according to the report.
“This study confirms once again that the NYPD’s staffing crisis has become a vicious cycle,” PBA President Patrick Hendry said in a statement. “Cops are frustrated, burned out and leaving in droves, which only makes the workload more unsustainable for the cops who remain.”
