Assaults against cops in Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, and Cobble Hill spiked last year as police aggressively fought crime in hotspot areas, authorities said.
Officers were bit, punched, kicked, spat on– and three were even shot at, cops said.
27 cops were assaulted in the 76th precinct– 16 more than the year before.
“Cops being hurt is alarming. It’s disturbing,” said Captain Jeffrey Schiff at a recent community council meeting, noting that cops had been aggressive in pursuing criminals in the command’s hotspots.
This has led to more arrests, which were up 20 percent last year, but also a spike in officers being hurt.
PBA President Patrick J. Lynch said the increase in assaults was also linked to the decline in the number of cops on city streets.
“Every precinct is working with nearly a hundred fewer patrol officers than a decade ago, and as a result the streets are more dangerous for the public and police alike,” he said.
Community leaders were also outraged.
“Frankly, I think that this is a community has traditionally shown very strong support for all of our uniformed services,” said Craig Hammerman, district manager of Community Board Six. “I hope they are successful in catching anyone responsible for that– and that ultimately they will be brought to justice.”