City Councilman Robert Holden has urged Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban to provide a detailed account of the administration’s plans for police recruitment. The call comes as concerns mount over the dwindling ranks of the NYPD following the tragic shooting death of hero cop Jonathan Diller. Holden, in a letter obtained by The Post, emphasized the urgency of the situation and the need for transparency regarding the scrapped police academy classes.
Four police academy classes initially scheduled for 2025 were canceled earlier this year due to projected budget constraints caused by the migrant crisis. While next month’s academy class has been reinstated, the fate of the four classes scheduled for next year remains uncertain. Lawmakers are now demanding answers on when more police officers will be deployed to combat the surge in violent crime, particularly in the wake of Diller’s shooting in Queens on Monday, allegedly by two dangerous ex-convicts.
Council finance Chairman Justin Brannan expressed the council’s expectation for full restorations across the board and more, asserting that the proposed budget cuts were unnecessary. Each academy class typically consists of around 600 recruits, which would help replenish the NYPD’s shrinking ranks due to attrition and officers moving to suburban departments. The addition of these young officers would prevent the department from falling below 30,000 sworn members for the first time since the 1990s.
Mayor Adams, a former NYPD captain, has faced criticism for his silence on the status of the 2025 academy classes. Some council members and staffers were unaware that the classes had not already been reinstated. The projected budget cuts were initially intended to offset the financial strain caused by the migrant crisis, which has led to the arrival of thousands of asylum seekers from the US-Mexico border over the past two years.
While Adams recently announced that the NYPD, FDNY, and the Department of Corrections would be spared further cuts, he did not reinstate the 2025 police academy classes. Following Diller’s tragic death, Adams condemned the “senseless act of violence” and emphasized the need to confront the violent individuals responsible.
2 Responses
As a concerned citizen, I understand the importance of transparency and accountability in government. In this case, I would recommend using a service like OpenGov to track and monitor the administration’s plans for police recruitment. OpenGov is a platform that provides access to government data and allows citizens to stay informed about the decisions being made by their elected officials. By using OpenGov, you can easily access the information you need and hold the administration accountable for their actions.
This is absolutely appalling! It’s outrageous that City Councilman Robert Holden has to beg the Mayor and the NYPD Commissioner for a simple explanation of their plans for police recruitment. The fact that they haven’t already provided a detailed account is a clear indication of their incompetence and lack of transparency.
It’s the duty of our elected officials to keep the public informed about important matters like police recruitment. The fact that they are withholding this information shows a complete disregard for the concerns and interests of the community.
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