Interestingly, I suspect that the people who take the most issue with "defund the police" would also not see the NY Times as such an authoritative source as you

Interestingly, I suspect that the people who take the most issue with "defund the police" would also not see the NY Times as such an authoritative source as you seem to. Nevertheless, the editors published the article with a byline of an individual author. Typically if they wanted to publish an opinion intended to speak for the entire organization, they would sign it as "The Editors" or something to that effect. Even then you'd have a survey of what, a few dozen journalists?