In a startling revelation, assaults on New York City police officers have seen a dramatic increase of 63% over the past six years.
This disturbing trend, according to police officers and experts, is likely to persist due to a justice system that appears to be lenient towards criminals, failing to impose any significant consequences.
As reported by The New York Post, the New York Police Department (NYPD) data reveals that there have been 970 assaults on uniformed police officers in the city so far this year. This figure is a significant rise from the 595 officers assaulted at the same point in 2019, before the pandemic. The data further shows a 57% increase in the number of assaulted law enforcement officers in the city this year compared to the same period three years ago. There has also been a 4% increase compared to the same period last year.
The alarming statistics come in the wake of a series of recent attacks on police officers. One such incident involved Nafees, a rookie officer who joined the NYPD in September. His younger brother, Chowdhury Navid, recounted the horrifying ordeal. "He was on his way home and suddenly these two perpetrators out of nowhere, one with a knife and the other with a gun, they disarmed him and they robbed him, Navid said. He added that his brother had tried to cooperate with the robbers, even offering them his wallet and money. However, upon realizing that Nafees was a police officer, the robbers' aggression escalated. "After that, they assaulted him because he was a cop, Navid said.
The assault on Nafees was brutal. He was robbed of his gun, shield, and phone, and a knife was held to his throat. The assailants even kicked him in the face before fleeing. Nafees underwent successful eye surgery at Jacobi Hospital and was discharged on Wednesday, according to his brother.
Robert Garland, a retired NYPD detective and founder of FundtheFirst.com, which is hosting a fundraiser for Nafees, called for severe punishment for the perpetrators. "If theyre not brought to proper justice, others will know, Garland warned, suggesting that leniency might embolden other criminals to assault police officers.
The suspects, Taveon Hargrove and Wayne Lucas, both 23, were later arrested in Virginia. They were believed to have fled to a family friend's home.
Joseph Giacalone, a retired NYPD sergeant and adjunct professor at Penn State University-Lehigh Valley, attributed the rise in assaults to the city's revolving-door criminal justice system. He criticized District Attorneys like Alan Bragg who, he claimed, are reluctant to prosecute felony assaults against cops. "You have a criminal justice system thats a revolving door and people are getting arrested 40, 50, 60 times. The cops are dealing with people out on the streets who are really bad, he said.
The sentiment was echoed by a retired veteran NYPD detective who suggested that the increase in assaults might be due to the emphasis on deescalation tactics, which could embolden criminals.
PBA President Patrick Hendry pointed to a lack of fear of assaulting police officers due to insufficient consequences. He said, "They have no fear because they dont believe the justice system will deliver any consequences.
In response to the escalating violence against police officers, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch promised a swift and forceful response. "Attack one of our own and you will get the full force of the greatest police department in the world coming for you, she declared.
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