Led by Brooklyn Councilman Chaim Deutsch, along with Public Safety Chairman Donovan Richards, thirty-seven New York City Councilmembers co-signed a letter calling on Mayor de Blasio to pay New York City police officers a fair market wage. The letter is unprecedented in its support, signed by more than two-thirds of the Council – a super-majority.
The letter reads in part: “New York City police officers are being severely underpaid, making it difficult for them to support their families and make ends meet. It is disgraceful that the men and women who protect one of the richest cities in America struggle to be able to feed their families and pay for basic needs. Moreover, this deficiency is detrimental to our shared goal of ensuring safety and justice for every New Yorker. We expect a great deal from our police officers, and it is imperative that the NYPD be able to recruit and retain the finest in order to meet those expectations. In 2017, the number of police officers resigning before retirement reached a six-year high, with many of the departing officers leaving for better-paying police jobs in the NYC area. “
Deutsch led a rally on the steps of City Hall today with hundreds of NYPD officers and their families; City Councilmembers; PBA President Pat Lynch; and community supporters. At the rally, Councilmembers reiterated their support for the NYPD, and called upon the Mayor to put his money where his mouth is and give police officers a fair raise. Councilmembers Paul Vallone, Mathieu Eugene, Justin Brannan, Mark Gjonaj, Andrew Cohen, Robert Cornegy, and Barry Grodenchik were all present and spoke to the assembled NYPD officers and family members.
After the rally, Deutsch hand-delivered the letter to a top deputy at Mayor de Blasio’s office. Deutsch said, “The support that we had for this letter is unparalleled, and it sends a strong message to the Mayor that our side of City Hall supports the police. We are committed to fighting for the police officers who protect and defend us every day on the streets of this city. I am hopeful that the Mayor will reach an amenable agreement with the PBA that will allow the best law enforcement officers in the world to continue to serve our City.”
The full text of the letter is below, along with the list of Councilmember sign-ons:
Honorable Bill de Blasio
Mayor, City of New York
New York City Hall
New York, NY 10007
Dear Mayor de Blasio,
As members of the New York City Council, we write to express our concerns with respect to police officer compensation, highlighted by the current impasse in their contract negotiations with the City of New York. Despite their brave work protecting New Yorkers every day, the brave men and women of the New York City Police Department are receiving salaries that are not commensurate with police officers from other departments.
This injustice stems from decades of below market-rate pay to New York City police officers. This disparity cannot be solved through below-inflation raises and cuts to health and pension benefits (cuts that would effectively wipe out the paltry wage increases members would receive), and it’s crucial to provide these officers a fair contract that will bring them closer to closing this pay gap for good.
New York City police officers are being severely underpaid, making it difficult for them to support their families and make ends meet. It is disgraceful that the men and women who protect one of the richest cities in America struggle to be able to feed their families and pay for basic needs. Moreover, this deficiency is detrimental to our shared goal of ensuring safety and justice for every New Yorker. We expect a great deal from our police officers, and it is imperative that the NYPD be able to recruit and retain the finest in order to meet those expectations. In 2017, the number of police officers resigning before retirement reached a six-year high, with many of the departing officers leaving for better-paying police jobs in the NYC area.
It is time for the City to work with the union to ensure the members are compensated fairly, which includes offering substantial wage increases that are not diminished by givebacks in other areas. Over the coming months, we will be speaking out for these police officers, who work night and day to keep our streets safe. This administration must support the working women and men in our city.
We hope you will consider the facts outlined above, and do everything in your power protect the rights for market-rate pay and adequate benefits, so that New York City police officers can continue to keep us safe and, at the same time, take care of their families.
Sincerely,
1. Chaim Deutsch
2. Donovan Richards
3. Vanessa Gibson
4. Robert Holden
5. Robert Cornegy
6. Eric Ulrich
7. Alan Maisel
8. Mark Gjonaj
9. Ruben Diaz, Sr.
10. Karen Koslowitz
11. Fernando Cabrera
12. Paul Vallone
13. Mathieu Eugene
14. Francisco Moya
15. Keith Powers
16. Steve Matteo
17. Ben Kallos
18. Mark Treyger
19. Justin Brannan
20. Ritchie Torres
21. Joseph Borelli
22. Rafael Espinal
23. Peter Koo
24. Stephen Levin
25. Alicka Ampry-Samuel
26. Andy King
27. Adrienne Adams
28. Carlina Rivera
29. Margaret Chin
30. Bill Perkins
31. Daniel Dromm
32. Barry Grodenchik
33. Helen Rosenthal
34. Laurie Cumbo
35. Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
36. Brad Lander
37. Costa Constantinides
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One Response
aren’t cops getting overtime all the time for just standing and watching parades? I see cops standing around laughing and joking or on their phones or better yet telling me to call a crime in. if murders, rapes and hate crimes are going up that shows NYPD performance is bad right?