STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Two decades and a middle finger.
A 20-year decorated veteran of the NYPD, on the day of his retirement, ended his long tenure with a one-finger salute on his final day, according to the New York Post.
Thomas Gambardella, a Staten Island resident, posted a picture on Facebook of him inside NYPD headquarters at 1 Police Plaza, Manhattan, following his retirement from the department, the report states.
“I’m officially retired today! From this sorry excuse of a s--t job. Thank God, I’m free at last!” Gambardella wrote on Facebook. “I loved everyone I worked with and ‘some’ of the people I’ve worked for. But this job is no one’s friend. Time to live free. I’ll see you all out there!”
In the photo, Gambardella is wearing a shirt that reads “Let’s Go Brandon,” while he offers the middle finger at a memorial that depicts a police officer watching over a child of a slain police officer.
Gambardella, who ended his 20-year career as a detective sergeant at the 70th Precinct, Brooklyn, said he enjoyed the job when he first became a beat cop in 2002.
He was named Officer of the Year in 2006 when he worked in the 68th Precinct in Brooklyn.
Gambardella told the Post he was previously a true believer and he gave a lot of “my blood, sweat, and tears. But no more.”
He added the job went downhill due to “soft-on-crime policies,” said the report, adding he didn’t like backlash against police, “defund the police,” and new police guidelines telling cops what they can and cannot do.
“It’s the worst f---ing job in the world. They own you. They’re not your friends. All that talk about the ‘big blue family.’ They don’t care,” he told the Post. “If I die tomorrow they wouldn’t give a sh-t. If I needed something it ain’t gonna happen. I’m better off just saying a prayer.”
The Post reported that Gambardella has received some backlash for his post since the statue he flipped off is often purchased by officers as miniature versions for families of slain cops.
According to records that the Post shared, Gambardella had 14 complaints against him, four of which he exonerated for, six were deemed “unsubstantiated” and another “unfounded.” None appeared to result in disciplinary action.
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