More than half of New York City’s police officers live outside the city they’ve sworn to protect and defend. That’s according to a report published Wednesday.
The website Streetsblog New York, which said it got the information from a city government source, said 49.2 percent of the NYPD officers live in the five boroughs. That’s compared to nearly 94 percent of the department’s civilian workforce, which with few exceptions must abide by a two-year residency requirement.
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The Long Island counties of Nassau and Suffolk are home to nearly a third of the NYPD police force. In fact, there’s a higher percentage of officers living in Nassau (17.1 percent) than any of the five boroughs, and only Queens (15.9 percent) had a higher share than Suffolk’s 15.5 percent.
Streetsblog’s report also noted that the average salary for an officer with less than six years on the job is more than $25,000 higher than those of the department’s civilian workers.
That would seemingly put a dent in Mayor Bill de Blasio’s claim that police officers should be exempt from a city residency requirement, as he’s said the high cost of housing keeps many officers in the suburbs. However, on Wednesday, the mayor called it an “apples and oranges” comparison.
The call for a residency requirement has gained traction in recent months after the NYPD’s response to the demonstrations against police violence that gripped the city and the nation earlier this year in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis in late May.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo requested Attorney General Tish James review the way the department engaged with protesters. Among the recommendations James put forward in her initial report released last month called for changes to the residency requirement for officers “so that they better reflect the communities they are required to serve and protect.”
After James’ report, state Sen. Kevin Parker, D-Brooklyn, filed a bill in Albany that would require any officer hired after Jan. 1, 2021, to live in the city. Current cops would be allowed to abide by the rule allowing them to live in the city or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, Westchester, Putnam or Orange counties.
In statement announcing his legislation, Parker said it’s imperative that the police build a better relationship with residents.
“This bill would help establish a bond between police officers and the community they serve,” he said.
De Blasio added that he wants to see more police officers become residents but that it may require “some kind of incentive” in order for that to happen.
“How do create a reality where more and more officers can live in New York City, more and more officers can afford to live in New York City, more and more people who want to be police officers recognize that they can do that here and live there?” the mayor said. “That is something we need to address. It’s not something you just snap your fingers and do, but I think it’s the right question.”
