The president of NYPD’s Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association is blaming the recent rise of gun and knife-related crime on an anti-police atmosphere.
According to the New York Post, PBA President Patrick Lynch criticized the anti-cop attitude sweeping the city, attributing it to the crime spike during an interview on a local radio show.
“We have shootings on the rise, and we have slashings on the rise, and it’s because the criminals on the street feel emboldened, empowered to go out and commit these acts,” he said.
Recent NYPD data indicated that the number of shooting victims increased by 24 percent over a 28-day period that ended in late March. Shooting incidents overall increased 14 percent.
Despite these recent alarming statistics, shootings victims have been on the decline for the year so far, decreasing 5.2 percent-with overall shootings dropping 12 percent.
NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton said that there were 916 slashings from January first to mid-March, a 22 percent increase.
Lynch blames city government for anti-police attitudes festering among the citizenry, claiming that even the Civilian Complaint Review Board is biased.
“If you look at the words coming from City Hall, the anti-police atmosphere, the anti-police legislation coming out of the City Council, a CCRB that’s not run fairly and impartially but run as a favor bank for City Hall- where’s a police officer to turn?” Lynch said.
“We want to go to work, honestly do our jobs, be supported,” he said. “But if they’re not supported, they’re second guessed, they hesitate on the street, they’re fearful that their livelihood will be lost.”
An NYPD spokesman rebutted Lynch’s claims. “Contrary to Pat Lynch’s comments, shootings and murders are at all-time lows. Shootings are down 12 percent, and murders are down even more, by 22 percent. Additionally, gun seizures are up, significantly.”
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