When it comes specifically to the NYPD, yes.
Well, I guess I should be happy living in Small City, USA then, just can’t relate...
About NYPD Hiring Requirements
Do you have to be a NYC resident to be a NYC Police Officer?
You do not have to be a NYC resident to take the Police Officer Exam, but on the day of appointment you must reside in New York City or one of the surrounding counties of NYC which are: Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Nassau, or Suffolk counties.
FWIW Clemenza, as a native, you know that quite a few live on Staten Island or in Queens.