A significant number of NYPD officers have decided to say “sayonara” to the department and many are moving to Florida after being enticed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The New York Post noted that the agency “saw 3,701 cops retire or resign in 2022, the most since the post-9/11 exodus in 2002, when 3,846 cops said goodbye to the job.”

The report also noted that pension fund numbers “reveal the 2022 exits are 32 percent more than the 2,811 who left in 2021.”

The agency hired 1,982 in 2022, meaning the NYPD is down about 1,700 from what it was at the beginning of the year.

The reasons why these officers are leaving their positions is not difficult to ascertain given the political climate over the past three years. “Bail reform, resentment for the city’s vaccination mandate, the defund-the-police movement, cops feeling disrespected, and the lure of higher pay and lower stress proved to be the final push out the door for many cops,” according to The Post.

Joseph Giacalone, a former NYPD sergeant and educator at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, noted that the “city is bleeding blue” and predicted that “the blue line will get thinner.”

“At this rate, continued public safety weighs in the balance. I’d be more concerned at the resignations than the retirements. Cops are leaving for better pay, benefits, and working conditions,” he said.

Alexandre Tilan, a six-year veteran with the NYPD resigned in April last year and moved to Florida to join the St. Petersburg Police Department.

“Since I’ve been here there’s been more respect,” he told The Post. “When I come to work, people say, ‘You’re always smiling.’”

Tilan also noted frustration on the part of law enforcement at woke leftist district attorneys making their jobs harder. He said there is “professional frustration” when they arrest a suspect who is later released “before the paperwork was dry.”

Cities across the country have seen record numbers of resignations and retirements after the murder of George Floyd and the anti-police sentiment that followed. Progressive politicians and members of the media promoted the “Defund the Police” movement and routinely demonized law enforcement officials.

Gov. DeSantis, after seeing the widespread anti-police rhetoric coming from the left, decided to offer a way out for officers fed up with attempts to make their jobs more difficult. In September 2021, he announced he would give a $5,000 bonus to officers who choose to relocate to the Sunshine State and work in one of its police agencies.

“It’s a way to capitalize off some of the folks who are not getting the support they need and say, you know what, you will be supported in Florida,” He said. “We will make sure we do our best to make sure it’s worth your while.”

CBS News reported:

Through a new program called ‘Be A Florida Hero,’ DeSantis is offering police officers things like a $5,000 sign-on bonus, down payment assistance for first-time homeowners and up to $10,000 for help to adopt a child. He said he’s recruiting cops from all over the country, especially where morale is low. He tweeted Monday more than 600 police officers nationwide have joined his state.

Even after the riots, unrest, and anti-police sentiment have died down, cities are still dealing with the aftermath. Those claiming they wish to reform the police have engaged in rhetoric that has made the problem even worse. This has left regular citizens in the lurch – especially those who wanted better policing, not less.

While Florida residents might benefit from having more law-abiding officers serving their communities, what does this mean for New York City residents? These folks have dealt with the skyrocketing crime rates over the past two years, and with more officers leaving, it could get worse.

Combine this with the fact that so-called progressive district attorneys like Alvin Bragg are more focused on protecting criminals than law-abiding citizens, and you have a recipe for disaster. As this trend continues, it seems even more likely that things in the Big Apple will get worse before they get better.