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Coronavirus News: NYPD schedules 1st recruitment class since start of pandemic

The class will help refill the ranks, which have been depleted by record retirements and budget cuts

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Saturday, October 24, 2020

900 recruits expected in NYPD's 1st class since pandemic

The NYPD has scheduled its first police academy class since the pandemic started.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- The NYPD has scheduled its first police academy class since the pandemic started.

The department made the announcement Friday, and says the class is scheduled for next month.

"Next week, the NYPD will send out offers to the 2020 November Academy class," NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said. "In this difficult financial time, the Department is grateful for the Mayor's leadership."

The warning comes as COVID-19 cases are on the rise in New York City, driven by an uptick in at least a dozen neighborhoods.

It is designed to refill the police ranks, which have been depleted by the record retirements and budget cuts.

The department skipped at least two classes during the pandemic, with the city citing severe budget constraints.

The last class started in January and graduated early.

The upcoming class is expected to include about 900 recruits.

Despite the new class of recruits, PBA President Patrick Lynch believes it's not enough.

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"Our house has been on fire for almost four months, but City Hall and 1 Police Plaza are just now reaching for the garden hose," Lynch said. "These new recruits won't hit the street until the middle of next year, and then we'll still be seriously short-handed as we battle the massive spike in shootings, a rising murder rate and growing disorder of every kind. New Yorkers need to understand: this is the future that Mayor de Blasio and your City Council members have chosen for you. If you want safe streets, you need to call and demand them."

Retirement and budget cuts have left the department with 2,700 less officers than this time in 2019.

The NYP currently has 34,200 officers, down from 36,900 from last year.