Former NYC Police Commissioner Warns 600 Cops On Verge Of Quitting As Mayor Vows To Cut Funding

A former New York Police Commissioner told Fox News on Monday that he heard up to 600 NYPD cops are on the verge of either retiring or quitting following the events of the last 2 weeks, during which NYC saw some of the most violent demonstrations in the country. The protests saw violence perpetrated against police by violent instigators and looters who operated in organized crews. However, a flurry of optically terrible videos of police attacking peaceful or nonviolent protesters have turned Democratic politicians in the city, including the mayor, decidedly against the NYPD.

New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik appeared on Fox News for the second time in a week (following an appearance on Tucker Tuesday evening that was criticized by the Washington Post) over the weekend to share the troubling news.

After years of clashing with 1 Police Plaza, Mayor de Blasio announced on Sunday that he would implement recommendations from a ‘racial inclusion’ committee led by his wife, which recommended shifting funding from the NYPD to youth and social services organizations.

The mayor’s decision to side with demonstrators who attacked police in a few isolated instances (like when a group of protesters surrounding an NYPD police van) largely soured the rank and file and union leaders, who have slammed de Blasio as incompetent, and have urged him to step down.

Last week, NY Comptroller (and, according to some, mayor-in-waiting) Scott Stringer recommended shaving $1.1 billion from the NYPD budget over four years. Currently, the city spends ~$6 billion a year on maintaining the country’s largest police force, with about ~45k sworn officers and thousands more civilian employees.

This has shattered what little remained of police morale over the past 2 weeks, as the media and the public have largely ignored the hundreds of cops who have been injured and dozens who have been hospitalized – with several even killed. One of the most gruesome incidents involved a cop being hit by a car in Brooklyn.

“You have some in the hospital. But there were over 300, 300 injuries. And the thing that scares me, judge, I’m hearing close to 600 cops have either put in their papers, or they’re talking to the department about resigning or retiring, like this is insane,” he said.

Kerik served as Giuliani’s police commissioner during 9/11 and its aftermath, though his reputation was later tarnished by corruption charges that led to a jail term.

Giuliani, who participated in the interview with Kerik, relished the opportunity to tear into de Blasio.

“This action did not have to happen if we had a vaguely competent mayor. This should have been stopped five days ago. I mean, couldn’t they have stopped some of that? We have watched now over and over again people looting, throwing Molotov cocktails, burning cars, and now putting our police in prison, in hospitals, and virtually no major arrests are made,” Giuliani said. “The mayor should step down. He’s incompetent.”

Watch a clip from the interview here.