NYPD Union Chief Blames "Anti-Police Atmosphere" for Rise in Shootings, Slashings

PBA President Patrick Lynch took to the airwaves Sunday to blame recent spikes in shootings and slashings on an “anti-police atmosphere” in New York City.

“When you hear that we’re going to not go after quality-of-life issues on the street and we’re in an anti-police atmosphere, what happens is the perpetrators on the street, they get emboldened,” the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association chief said in an interview on John Catsimatidis’ 970 AM 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.

Shooting victims increased by 24 percent — from 62 incidents to 77 — over the 28-day period that ended last Sunday, March 27, according to the latest NYPD data available. Shooting incidents increased 14 percent — from 57 to 65 incidents — in the same period, the New York Post reports.

Lynch said criminals know they’re not going to be stopped and frisked, so they are carrying weapons.

NYPD Chief William Bratton said in the middle of last month that there were 916 slashings since Jan. 1. That’s a 22 percent increase for the same period in 2015. More recent figures weren’t available.