NYPD Exodus: Cops Are Leaving the NYPD And It Has Nothing to Do With Zohran Mamdani

By John D. Macari Jr

The Myth: Cops Leave Because of Politics

Let’s set the record straight, NYPD officers are not leaving because they disagree with who the mayor is. If that were the case, the department would have collapsed years ago under Bill de Blasio or now under Eric Adams. The truth is, cops leave when their quality of life deteriorates, when morale tanks, and when leadership fails them. This isn’t about politics. It’s about survival in a job that’s lost its meaning.

Record Breaking Attrition Under Eric Adams

Under Mayor Eric Adams, the NYPD is experiencing the highest rate of retirements, vested departures, and resignations in city history. Adams actually campaigned on reducing NYPD headcount through attrition and he’s delivered, though not for the reasons he hoped. Officers are leaving not because of politics, but because they’ve lost trust in their leadership and see no future in the department.

More cops have vested or resigned under Adams than any other mayor in NYC history that’s not a coincidence.”

City Hall tries to spin this as a result of “larger academy class sizes,” but that doesn’t explain the record number of early mid career retirements or early career resignations. Those are the choices of people who’ve had enough.

Adams’ ‘Defund by Attrition’ Agenda

Despite his self-branding as a “pro-police” mayor, Adams promised to cut $600 million to $1 billion from the NYPD budget, redirecting funds to social initiatives like dyslexia screening. That’s not reform that’s Defund the Police in disguise.

Combined with toxic managerial appointments and internal dysfunction, Adams’ “budget balancing by burnout” approach has created the worst morale crisis in NYPD history. The exodus isn’t an accident it’s the byproduct of neglect.

Leadership Failure, Not Political Preference

Cops don’t quit because of who’s in Gracie Mansion, they quit because of who’s running One Police Plaza. Unqualified, politically connected, and often integrity challenged police executives have turned the NYPD into a place where good cops feel disrespected and disillusioned. They’re not walking away from the mission they’re walking away from poor management.

Eric Adams’ police appointments didn’t lead by example they led by fear, favoritism, and failure.”

The Real Risk: A Mamdani Administration

With Zohran Mamdani now positioned to take the reins at City Hall, the question isn’t whether cops will flee the department because of who he is it’s whether they’ll flee because of what he does. If his policies mirror his rhetoric rooted in defunding, ideological policing, and political interference it’ll further deteriorate morale and officer well-being. Mamdani’s appointments, not his slogans, will determine whether the NYPD stabilizes or collapses under another wave of attrition.

Bottom Line

NYPD officers have served under every type of mayor liberal, conservative, socialist, and everything in between. But never before have they faced such poor leadership at every level of the department. Cops don’t leave the city. They leave the conditions. Until leadership at City Hall and the NYPD restores integrity, respect, and quality of life, the exodus will continue one resignation letter at a time.

Quick Facts: NYPD Attrition Under Eric Adams