NEW YORK – New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced March 21 that the city’s police department will add 800 officers, the largest city-financed expansion of the force since 1993. Four hundred civilian employees will also be added to relieve officers at desk jobs, and 286 more school safety agents will be hired to protect city schools.
Currently the New York Police Department (NYPD) has about 37,000 officers. The Mayor says the expansion, which will go into effect next summer, will help police address the city’s recent population growth. Officials estimate the number of New York residents has increased by 125,000 since 2001. It the next five years, it could increase by 200,000.
The additional officers will help officials assign more police to regular patrols. The increase will also allow NYPD to flood high-crime areas with more officers so they can combat illegal guns and terrorism.
This is the first time Bloomberg has added officers to the NYPD. Despite the increase, the size of the department will still be smaller than it was in on 9-11.
