The Existential Challenge Facing Police Departments Today by HANNAH E. MEYERS As nationwide crime rates surge — at least 16 cities public discussion. broke homicide records in 2021 — police departments In this environment, individual officers increasingly need capable and coolheaded cops. But officer retirements experienced life-altering vilification even when they and resignations have surged in the past two years, and had done nothing wrong. When Columbus, Ohio officer it’s become harder for many agencies to recruit quality Nicholas Reardon shot Ma’Khia Bryant as she attempted candidates — or any at all. to stab another girl in April 2021, In New York City, over he was met with a campaign of 5,300 NYPD uniformed officers abuse. Joe Biden’s White House resigned or retired in 2020 — a claimed the shooting underscored 75% spike over the previous policing’s systemic racism and year. The department reportedly U.S. Senators Cory Booker and had to cap the number who could Raphael Warnock cited Reardon’s file papers simultaneously so as actions as demonstrating the not to overwhelm the system. need for police overhaul. Many In Minneapolis, 105 officers left responses were more personal the department in 2020: more and menacing: NBA star LeBron than double the average attrition James tweeted, “YOU’RE NEXT rate. Seattle hemorrhaged 180 #ACCOUNTABILITY,” with an officers in 2020 and 170 in hourglass emoji over a photo of 2021 — a near doubling of the an officer at the shooting scene. 95 officers who left in 2019. In All this — although Reardon Chicago, 660 cops retired in was not even charged. His 2021, nearly twice as many as actions were deemed justifiable Hannah E. Meyers in 2018. And California’s police homicide, protecting an staffing crisis reportedly has Bay innocent girl. Officers in similar Area departments unable to fill conditions nationwide have found Officer retirements and hundreds of positions. Oakland themselves and their families the resignations have surged PD lost a record-breaking 86 targets of threats and abuse. in the past two years and officers in 2021 and 2022 is Meanwhile, police have on pace to be worse. And the become at greater risk of it’s become harder for San Francisco PD is reportedly physical harm from hesitating many agencies to recruit suffering from a significant in moments of confrontation. deficit among even non-sworn After Minneapolis Officer quality candidates — or professional staff. Derek Chauvin was charged any at all. Why don’t cops want to stay with murdering George Floyd on the job and why don’t others by pinning him under his knee, want to enter it? Among other reasons, the work has jurisdictions rushed to adopt often overlapping and become more dangerous and less gratifying. confusing bans on chokeholds. In New York, for instance, The increased risk is both physical and reputational. the City Council passed and then-mayor Bill de Blasio Following the 2020 death of George Floyd, a tsunami of signed legislation enhancing an existing ban, enabling anti-police sentiment confronted cops from the public, prosecutors to bring misdemeanor charges against officers the media, and policymakers. The ideas that police are if they used any move during an arrest that restricted the blanketly racist and cause more harm than good dominated person’s breathing “in any way.” 14
RIPON FORUM May 2022
