As some of you might have read the other week, I, along with the NYC Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Detective Endowment Association (DEA), Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA), and the Lieutenants Benevolent Association (LBA), have been working in Albany to address the staffing crisis impacting the NYPD through legislation and budgetary action. In NYC, recent data indicates that the NYPD is short nearly 7,000 police officers from its peak headcount. Let me be clear - the police do good work, and we need police in our communities! Yet there has been a systemic failure by our City to show the police, and all law enforcement, that they are not only wanted, but respected. It’s clear that some City Councilmembers are ineffective, despite their claims that they “back the blue.” The NYC Council has removed police qualified immunity (not the State) and increased the paperwork our hardworking officers have to do that further prevents them from doing their actual job of keeping the public safe. That’s why it has been my honor, as a State Assemblymember, to take the baton and partner with the incredible unions that represent the multiple ranks of those within the NYPD to pass legislation that actually helps the police! When I say I back the blue, I put real actions behind my words!

The work to address the NYPD's staffing crisis started last year when NYS enacted “phase 1” of my plan to ensure a salary enhancement for our longest serving police officers. This year I am fighting to expand that enhancement to our detectives, sergeants, and lieutenants. While we must recruit new officers, we need to work to retain our current police force who have institutional knowledge and vital relationships with the community. That’s why we’re working to implement “phase 2” and pass A.5376, which provides a salary enhancement to detectives, sergeants and lieutenants who work 25 years and more. By providing this enhancement we are ensuring our City’s Finest have the competitive salary and benefits they deserve.

It is also time to codify 20-year retirement plan for all members of the NYPD and bring parity among our officers, also known as “Phase 3.” As it stands now, any member of the NYPD who was hired after July 2009 must work 22 years, while those hired before that date need to work 20 years to achieve the option for retirement. The inconsistency of retirement options among our police is not fair, especially as neighboring counties in New York offer a flat 20-year option. Our police officers want to work in NYC, so let’s give them the retirement plan that keeps them within our City by passing A.3968 - establishing consistency and a competitive retirement package.

After tremendous work, these two bills made headway when, in an unprecedented move, the NYS Assembly included my bills, A.5376 and A.3968, in the One House Budget. For those who may not know, during the State budget period, the Governor presents her budget, and then each house (the State Assembly, and the State Senate) responds to that budget with our own version, called the “One House.” The One House is a guide of what each house wants to see enacted in the final budget. The negotiations for the final budget are currently ongoing. I remind you that the State Budget impacts over 20 million New Yorkers, from Plattsburgh to Far Rockaway. However, I am making sure that the State does what it can to ensure public safety is represented in the final budget, especially for our community. As a member of the majority conference, I am part of that negotiating process and will not back down from helping law enforcement.

By having these pieces of legislation included in the Assembly One House response, which is often cited as a “statement of values,” we are taking the bold step to help usher in solutions to address the ongoing NYPD staffing crisis. I’ve introduced these bills and am pushing for their passage because it’s time to step up and show that the police are appreciated. This is not only a thank you for their continued hard work, but a way to express that in New York we value our police.

Public safety is the number one priority. Our communities deserve to be safe, and our police and their families deserve the best too! It has been my pleasure to work hand-in-hand with our City’s Finest to work on policies that can actually help them. By enacting my legislation: codifying that our police officers are eligible for retirement after 20 years of service and ensuring that any member of the NYPD who works at least 25 years gets a salary enhancement, we are going to balance the City’s needs.We will address the retention problem, while ensuring our City is able to recruit the best of the best.

As always, should you have any questions or need anything please contact my office by phone at 718-945-9550 or by email at amatos@nyassembly.gov. It is a pleasure to serve you and I look forward to representing you for many more years to come.