Court Officers Union Boss Plans Queens Protest

By David Brand

New York State Court Officers Association Dennis Quirk is not happy with the implementation of the Raise the Age law and he’s not shy about it.

“Raise the Age is only exacerbating an already dangerous situation,” Quirk told the Eagle Tuesday. “They had two years to plan [the implementation] and they did nothing. It was poor planning by everyone involved.”

Quirk said his union is planning a protest outside a Queens courthouse within the next few weeks. The union and the New York State Supreme Court Officers Association held a similar rally in Brooklyn last Tuesday.

New York State Court Officers Association Dennis Quirk. // Eagle file photo

He said he is concerned about how court officers will transfer adolescent offenders through family court hallways, which he said are more open than criminal courthouses and less suited to potentially violent defendants.

“We were already short 350 court officers short and they have not filled these vacancies in two and a half years,” Quirk said. “Opening additional courtrooms just increases the burden.”