NYPD cops resigning in new year at record-breaking pace
Mayor Adams must get his NYPD house in order, as cop resignations soar
The brass’s decision to drop the hammer on the rank-and-file comes at a particularly fraught time – the NYPD is facing a historic shortage of officers as cops continue to turn in their badges at an alarming rate.
Policing the police Cops say NYPD brass out to get them with rules crackdown on beard length, coffee drinking, time sheets, more
The NYPD has decided to crack down on its already-thinning, overworked ranks by rooting out cops who grow their beards too long, drink coffee on the job and don’t empty their garbage cans quickly enough, The Post has learned.
By Tina Moore, Craig McCarthy and Steve Janoski March 13, 2023
The burgeoning effort to police the police – ordered up by Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell – is being led by the Standards and Assessment section of the two-month old Professional Standards Bureau, according to the NYPD.
“If somebody is non-compliant with the beard procedure – they’ll look into that,” said Chief Kevin Maloney, commander of DCPI. “It’s really anything the cops are supposed to adhere to … their job is to make sure they’re doing that. It’s just enforcing the rules.”
In addition to making sure cops don’t grow their beards past the departmental limit of one-quarter of an inch, the section is tasked with investigating improprieties such as officers who keep inaccurate memo books, tint their windows too dark on their personal cars or fail to comb their hair properly.
The unit — led by Inspector Robert O’Hare — will also make sure cops wear their body cameras on the right piece of clothing, update roll calls promptly, show up on time and don’t leave their posts early.
Officers who cross the sergeants and lieutenants assigned as monitors will either get a warning or be hit with command disciplines, or internal write-ups that could lead to lost vacation time, usually five to 10 days depending on the infraction.
And that’s been happening at precinct roll calls throughout the city — though the NYPD declined to say how many command disciplines it had issued so far.
One example would be a cop showing up for a detail without their hat, an NYPD spokesman said.
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Cops said the new initiative, which was made official on Jan. 17, has left them stuck somewhere between an eye roll and an outright rebellion.
“It’s pathetic – everybody’s talking about it,” said one Brooklyn cop, a 20-year veteran. “Guys are saying they’ve never seen morale so bad. The attitude is [the bosses] want to get you for something … Why would you go above and beyond to do anything at this point?”
According to another officer, some of New York’s Finest have been taking it with a dose of dark humor, dubbing the new unit the “suicide squad” because it is “the type of s–t” that pushes cops to the brink.
“Like we don’t have enough stress,” the officer said. “I’m already never seeing my family and you’re taking more time away from me? It’s a very stressful situation.”
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said the new inspections will only worsen “the NYPD’s historic staffing crisis.
“It is absolutely mindboggling that monitoring beard length and sock color are the NYPD’s top priorities right now,” said Lynch.
“New York City police officers can’t pay their bills. They never get to see their families. They are battling every day against perps who have no fear and a justice system that delivers no consequences,” he added.
PA Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 38 