“It’s all by design” — Councilwoman Vickie Paladino defends NYPD, blasts overtime critics
In a passionate defense of the NYPD and its officers, Councilwoman Vickie Paladino has raised serious concerns about the ongoing issue of police overtime, attributing it directly to a significant shortage in manpower.
In a statement, she emphasized, “Why is there so much police overtime? Because there are so few police now.”
Paladino’s remarks come amid reports indicating that the NYPD is currently facing an unprecedented staffing crisis, with over 10,000 officers short of the numbers required to adequately cover the vast city. As retirements soar and new academy classes dwindle to a fraction of their former size, the councilwoman argues that the consequences are both immediate and severe.
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“Fewer police covering the same area equals more overtime. Pretty simple,” she noted, highlighting the direct correlation between staffing levels and the rising need for overtime work among the remaining officers. The implications of this situation extend beyond mere statistics; Paladino pointed out that it leads to longer response times, increased stress, heightened danger for those on the force, and deteriorating morale.
Paladino did not hold back in her criticism of what she perceives as a deliberate strategy by certain progressive factions.
“This is all by design, of course. The progressive misanthropes who complain about police overtime are the architects of the environment which led to a smaller and strained police force. This is what they want,” she asserted.
She accused these critics of manipulating public opinion against the police, suggesting their intention is to portray officers as “grifters enriching themselves on the public dime,” a narrative she firmly rejects. “Nothing can be further from the truth,” she insisted.
Paladino warns that the ultimate objective behind this criticism is clear: “The actual goal here — as it has always been — is de-policing and ultimately dismantling of the NYPD.” In closing her statement, she urged the public to remain vigilant against misleading narratives: “I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again — don’t believe a single word these people say. Not one word.”