Contains Opinion of the Writer

In 2020, Hundreds of demonstrators camped out in the New York City Hall Park, protesting over the death of George Floyd and other Black Americans killed by law enforcement. Organizers called it “Occupy City Hall” — a nod to 2011 Occupy Wall Street movement a few blocks away in Zuccotti Park.

In an article from PBS News Hour, in 2020, Mayor Bill De Blasio of New York sought a $1 billion police cut during the city hall protest.

Police officers have a duty to perform their work with integrity and should be held accountable for unlawful actions such as in the case of the George Floyd murder. However, most police officers are good people and do their jobs as they are supposed to do.

I am sure the police officer involved in the death of George Floyd did go too far and caused the death of Mr. Floyd. However, the news media covered up for the crimes that George Floyd had committed in the store. Mr. Floyd was guilty of numerous crimes and apparently the officer,  Derek Chauvin knew George on a personal level. However, the news media attempted to cover that little fact up.

It is important to ask if this murder was personal? It proves this was not another case of police officers attacking an innocent random black man. Therefore the riots and toppling of our national statutes that followed was a national travesty.

New York wasn’t, of course, the only city citing that they wanted to defund the police and distribute the money in other areas that needed it more. Cities all across our country turned on our police officers because of the George Floyd incident. Many departments also cited that a civilian force with non-violent methods might work better than police officers with guns. Can you imagine citizens coming against criminals who care nothing for life? It would be a blood bath.

According to Daily Mail, amid the ‘Defund the Police’ and George Floyd protests, about 9,400 officers have left the NYPD since 2020.

Police departments from all across the country are now offering officers from New York city incredible sign-on bonuses, significant salary raises, and a safer area for their families to live in.

New York police officers make around $50,000.00 a year. Crime is higher in New York, and there are not enough police officers to take care of business. I don’t blame these officers for leaving New York for other parts of the country to departments that will most likely appreciate them far more than New York appreciated them.

Defunding the Police isn’t working out well for the city of New York; unfortunately, it is the citizens who are now suffering.

This year, crime is up 29.1 percent in New York City from last year, with felony assaults up nearly 14 percent(22,319 cases reported), rapes (increased by 11 percent from last year), and robberies all up double digits. Murders are down 14.8 percent, and shootings are down 12.5 percent.

The city’s transit system has reported 1,865 reports in 2022, a 41.7 percent spike from last year. Nine murders in the subway, compared to six in 2021, according to newly released data.

At least twelve people have been shoved in front of a subway train this year, at least two fatally. Subway killings are at their highest level in 25 years.

Last month, Mayor Erich Adams moved to deploy more police officers underground to the subway system because of the high rising crime there. However, he needs to stop and think about what his city will look like when the criminals outnumber the officers even more than they do now, as officers leave the city in record numbers. He has to think about why they are going and do something quick, or New York City will undoubtedly become a cesspool of crime that cannot recover. Finally, he needs to start appreciating the officers he has, treat them better, and figure out a way to keep the ones that remain there for now.

Every city that screamed, “Defund the police,” will regret its decisions. Unfortunately, New York is just one example of what has occurred after the “Defund the Police” demands. Some are starting to back away from the ‘Defund the Police’ mindset. However, they must treat their officers better if they do not want to become another ‘New York’ cesspool.