New York’s Specialized Police Union Launches “Help Wanted” Billboard Campaign for New Governor Governor Hochul’s Public Safety Failures Leave Communities and Environment Less Safe for NY families
Wednesday, October 02, 2024Albany, NY (October 2, 2024) – The PBA of New York State (PBANYS), the union representing more than 1,100 specialized state law enforcement officers, recently launched a “Help Wanted, New Governor Needed” public awareness billboard campaign in Albany, Buffalo, and on Long Island.
The billboards point out that New Yorkers desperately need a new governor who will provide the law enforcement staffing needed to protect our state university campuses, parks, and forests; as well as safeguard our state’s precious natural resources and environmental health.
Governor Hochul claims that crime is down under her watch, but this statement is hard to defend when the vast majority of law enforcement agencies in her state do not report crime statistics to the FBI. In fact, fewer than 25% of police agencies in New York State report their crime statistics according to the non-profit criminal justice journalism website the Marshall Project. Hardly a day goes by that New Yorkers don’t hear about a violent assault, robbery, or gun violence in their community, and Governor Hochul doesn’t want them to believe their lying eyes.
Similarly, Governor Hochul is quick to tout her efforts at environmental stewardship while failing to provide the Environmental Conservation Officers needed to battle a respiratory public health crisis in New York City where trucks idle illegally and children in the Bronx have a 17.4% asthma rate compared to 5.8% nationally.
Jim McCartney, PBANYS president, said, “Everywhere we look we see Governor Hochul’s failure to keep New Yorkers safe from crime and public health threats. While the governor pays lip service to public safety, her actions in supporting the brave officers who stand between danger and the public come up far short. For years we’ve been asking for the staffing and resources needed to protect the public – and we’ve been rebuffed time and time again. We don’t have the numbers needed to properly protect our state’s public lands and parks, natural resources, and state university campuses, and without retirement equity we cannot recruit and retain the specialized officers needed for these roles. We simply aren’t competitive in a market where there is greater demand for officers than there are recruits.”
For years PBANYS has argued that the key to recruitment, retention, and the promotion of diversity in our state’s specialized law enforcement ranks is retirement equity – legislation that Governor Hochul has vetoed three times and has refused to include in her annual budget. The lack of retirement equity is directly responsible for recruitment shortfalls and the mass exodus of seasoned officers who are poached by agencies that recognize their worth and compensate them appropriately. Requiring PBANYS members to work an additional five years to receive the same pension that nearly every officer in New York state already receives has created dangerous shortfalls in staffing and a public safety crisis – both from rising crime as well as insufficient environmental enforcement.
While New York may be a leader in public safety and environmental stewardship on paper, it means little without a governor who supports those tasked with protecting our communities from crime and pollution. Governor Hochul needs to step up and support our state’s specialized police officers, or New Yorkers need to hire a new governor who will.
#####
ABOUT the PBA of New York State: Established in 2011, the Police Benevolent Association of New York State (PBA of New York State), is a law enforcement labor union representing the interests of more than 1,100 members of the New York State Agency Police Services Unit (APSU). The PBA of New York State is the exclusive bargaining agent for the New York State University (SUNY) Police, the New York State Environmental Conservation Police, the New York State Park Police, and the New York State Forest Rangers. Our members police and protect New York State’s public universities and colleges; state parks and historic sites; and they enforce state laws and protect our lands and forests and ensure environmental safety and quality throughout the state.
