Staten Island’s 123rd precinct celebrates cop’s retirement after 20 years of service

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — After two decades of serving New York City as a police officer, Thomas Alessi bid his colleagues at the 123rd precinct a final farewell on Friday.

In a post on X — formerly Twitter — made by the 123rd precinct, the department cheekily congratulated the officer on his new employment status.

“We are sad you will be leaving, but so happy that you can finally enjoy your retirement,” the post said.

The precinct also shared a photo of taken of Alessi standing outside of the station house along with commanding officer Capt. Glorisel Lee, and two additional officers on his last day on the job.

During the pandemic, the precinct had touted Alessi as one of the officers who had “a special relationship with the community and help to ensure a lasting bond between the NYPD and its residents.” At the time he was in the role of a crime prevention officer.

NYPD HIT WITH WAVE OF RETIREMENTS

According to reporting from The New York Post, Alessi joins more than 2,500 officers who left the NYPD — for retirement, or other reasons — in 2023 alone.

According to the outlet, plans to replace the lost officers will not happen in the near future because the city plans to cancel the next five Police Academy classes.

The number of cops quitting before they reach the 20 years required to receive their full pensions also increased from 509 in 2020 to 1,040 as of November 2023, the outlet reported.

Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry said to the outlet that low NYPD staffing numbers are starting to take a toll on remaining the officers who have to work “inhumane amounts” of overtime.