With his sharp cop’s eyes on crime but glancing curiously sideways at the political scene, retired NYPD Sgt. Brian Doherty of Bay Ridge watched, as most New Yorkers, the topsy-turvy events rattling Albany. Like many, he wanted a major shake-up in the unpopular state government.

Frustrated and outraged at government dysfunction, after his retirement last year after 23 years of NYPD service he tested the political waters for a race against 14-term Democrat Assemblyman Dov Hikind. To his surprise, he became the candidate of the Republican and Conservative parties in hopes of dislodging Hikind, unopposed in elections for many years.

“When I learned that our local assemblyman, a 28-year Albany veteran, was on the ballot of both major parties since 1998, it showed that voters here have not been given a serious alternative in a dozen years,” said Doherty.

In a recent interview at the Bay Ridge Eagle office, Doherty, married and father of three young children, discussed why he believed that Hikind must be challenged.

‘The Invisible Man’

“He’s the invisible man. He’s not been seen here in the Bay Ridge part of his district where I live for a long time,” said Doherty about the 48th Assembly District, which covers northeast Bay Ridge, Borough Park, Kensington, northern Dyker Heights, and parts of Flatbush.

At recent political forums in Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights, he said, “Hikind is a no-show.”

“Hikind is on a rudderless ship of state sinking into a budget gap sea of billions of dollars, with stopgap measures and no real solutions. Nobody takes responsibility, including Hikind. People are plain fed up,” said Doherty, endorsed by the NYC Police Sergeant’s Benevolent Association and called a “working-class hero” by a popular GOP blog.

Blasting Albany, he said, “They’re taxing and spending us to death. We need the state to invest more in innovation and in our businesses. As State Senator Golden noted, 70 percent of our economy is fueled by small business. Albany is squeezing them. We need common sense solutions.”

Of his decision to challenge Hikind, Doherty said, “We got an endless stream of stories of theft, mismanagement and corruption. What could we do? I was left with no choice but to send the same person back to Albany to represent me and I said, ‘no more!’

“Hikind is out of touch,” he said. “He has clearly lost his enthusiasm he once had for his position and his impressive career as a legislator has been falling, after accomplishing much for his district and standing by his conservative and family values.”

Doherty praised the rise of new Republican and Conservative candidates in a surge not seen in many years. “I hope we have a significant turnaround in Albany, with grassroots action on the rise and common sense solutions being made.”

He cited the campaigns of two other first-time candidates, Nicole Mallioatakis and Peter Cipriano. “I’m very encouraged about them and the support I have from the Republican and Conservative parties. I’m astounded that I’m on ticket!”

As for his campaign headquarters, Doherty said, “It’s being run out of my kitchen with a scanner.” His campaign posters can be seen all over the Bay Ridge neighborhood on storefronts and home lawns. “Here I have a lot of support. Even in Borough Park, a stronghold for Hikind, people are showing interest in my campaign.”

On statewide issues affecting the city, such as plans to exploit vast mid-state underground natural gas reserves that could endanger the city’s drinking water supply, Doherty said, “We need to study and avoid the dangers to keep people safe and be acutely aware of our natural environment.”

On charter schools, while supporting the concept, he saw no need for any in the area. “The public schools in District 20 are incredible, as are our parochial and private schools and yeshivas.”

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(Source: Brooklyn Eagle)