By Joanna Putman
Police1
NEW YORK — Assaults on NYPD officers have surged to unprecedented levels, rising 41% this year compared to the same period in 2023, and 60% since 2019, the New York Post reported.
So far in 2024, 1,975 officers have been assaulted, compared to 1,763 at this time last year, according to NYPD data obtained by the New York Post. This marks the fifth consecutive year of increased attacks on police, far exceeding the 1,253 assaults recorded in 2019.
“They think they can take a swing at a cop and get away with it, because they believe the justice system is on their side,” Police Benevolent Association president Patrick Hendry told the New York Post.
NYPD Chief of Crime Control Strategies Michael Lipetri confirmed that these attacks are contributing to an overall 5% rise in assaults across the city, according to the report. So far this year, 22,806 assaults have been recorded, compared to 21,712 at the same point in 2023. Lipetri noted that police officers are engaging with more dangerous individuals, which is leading to an increase in violent encounters.
