New York City Removes Last Police Officers from Public Schools

The last NYPD officers assigned full-time to New York City public schools are being moved out — despite nationwide calls for heightened security in the wake of last month’s Florida shootings.

The once-common practice of putting an armed officer in New York City schools waned in the 1990s. All were gradually eliminated, but some of the biggest high schools kept their officers.

“My colleagues think it’s outrageous — and really stupid,” teacher Arthur Goldstein said. “We’re not enthusiastic about arming teachers, but we liked having a cop around.”

Police are being removed from schools because officers in Mayor Bill de Blasio’s new community policing units will visit schools while patrolling the neighborhood, according to the NYPD. School safety agents are stationed at all schools, but are not armed, the New York Post reports.