Eric Adams Announces Pay Boost for NYPD — Amid Budget Cuts for Other City Departments

Mayor Eric Adams and the NYC Office of Labor Relations Commissioner Renee Campion shared during a Thursday press conference that one city department is getting a raise. 

But this announcement comes as other city agencies were collectively asked to cut one billion annually from their budget.

Around 23,000 members of the New York Police Department can expect their first raises in six years, thanks to an eight-year tentative contract with the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association.

"They’ve been working a long time without a contract. And they’ve more than earned the Benefits in agreement with city and PBA," said NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell.

This agreement will retroactively start as of August 1, 2017, offering annual raises from 2.25% to 4%. The top police pay will now sit at $131,500, with starting pay at $55,000. It will also introduce flexible hours, which the PBA said will mean four-day workweeks and less-demanding schedules for some officers.

"It allows our members to decompress. There’s mental health issues when your work five days (a week), 12 hour days," said PBA President Pat Lynch.

This is the third voluntary agreement reached between the city government and the PBA since 1994.

“New York City will always support the men and women of the NYPD as they do one of the toughest jobs anywhere — and today, we’re proud to announce a historic deal with the Police Benevolent Association that will do just that,” Mayor Adams noted.

The total package costs the city $3 billion. Critics called it unnecessarily generous to police — at a time when other agencies must sacrifice. 

"We have a mayor that thinks cops are answer to every problem. But can a cop take care of your kids and educate them?" asked Antonine Pierre of the Budget Justice Coalition.

Meanwhile, a letter from the city’s budget director is asking all city agencies to cut another 4 percent from their budget. The note, dated April 4, informs that “the Department of Education and City University of New York” are exempt from this request. The letter noted that the cuts "will not be easy, but it is critically important."

A justification for this round of cuts is the increasing migrant population in the city and the resources needed to respond.

Mayor Adams confirmed the budget slashes on Thursday, but says that layoffs will not be part of these agencies’ cuts.

"We must find efficiencies in our agencies. We have to deal with the crises in front of us, we know that," the mayor said.

Adams maintained that the NYPD pay raises do not contradict his call for belt-tightening.

"Part of those efficiencies is to make sure we are paying our public servants," he said.