Opinion: Taking the steps to help the staffing problem within the NYPD

By Stacey Pheffer Amato

The staffing crisis within the NYPD is real.

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.

That’s why it has been my honor to partner with the incredible unions that represent the multiple ranks of those within the NYPD, including the NYC Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Detective Endowment Association (DEA), Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA), and the Lieutenants Benevolent Association (LBA), to address the staffing crisis through legislation and budgetary action.

This year, in a truly 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. We are currently negotiating a State-wide budget for all 20 million New Yorkers and we want to ensure public safety is represented in the budget.

The work to address the NYPD's staffing crisis started last year when we enacted “phase 1” of my plan which ensured 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 the city is working to recruit new officers, we need to work to retain our 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 is a retention bill that would provide an enhancement to detectives, sergeants and lieutenants who work beyond 25 years. 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 a 20 year retirement plan for all members of the NYPD and bring parity among our officers, or pass “phase 3” which is A.3968. 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 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 they [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. By enacting my legislation, and through the support of my majority colleagues, 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. We will get this done.

Those interested in voicing their support for this legislation (A.5376 and A.3968), and would like to see these bills in the final budget, are encouraged to call their state assemblymember or state senator.

Stacey Pheffer Amato represents Queens’ District 23 in the New York State Assembly. She is the chair of the Committee on Governmental Employees.