Public Employee Press

Pushing for civilianization

Hundreds of DC 37 members gathered May 31 at City Hall. They sent a strong message to the mayor and the police commissioner: “Civilianization saves money!”

Last September, an arbitrator ruled for the union and told the Police Dept. that its desk jobs belong to civilian workers, not uniformed officers. At stake are roughly 3,500 full-time jobs and potential city savings of up to $100 million. Yet Commissioner Kelly continues to drag his feet.

Prior to Kelly’s testimony before the Public Safety Committee of the City Council, numerous speakers called on the administration to stop the delaying tactics. As DC 37 Treasurer Maf Misbah Uddin put it, “The time is now!”

Lenora Gates, executive vice president of Clerical-Administrative Employees Local 1549 and a 34-year veteran NYPD worker, called on the administration to stop the freeze on hiring civilians. “Put Police Officers back on the streets to do the jobs they were trained to do,” she said.

Members in green T-shirts sat in silent vigil in the City Council hearing as vigilant council members put Kelly on the hot seat. Council member Margarita Lopez questioned the commissioner’s concern that civilianization could cut the head count of uniformed officers protecting the public: “When you put a Police Officer on a desk doing clerical work, doesn’t that reduce the head count?” At that point, the silent spectators broke into wild applause.

In July, the Police Dept. is scheduled to start training 90 new Police Administrative Aides, and the union is pressing for funds to hire many more civilians. Kelly said the department has identified 700 positions for future civilianization — far short of the potential. At the hearing, Council Members Lopez, Helen Sears, Robert Jackson, James Sanders, Jr., and Bill de Blasio each spoke for more civilianization. “It’s clear that there isn’t a real commitment yet,” said Lopez. “We intend to fight this in the budget negotiations"

— Jane LaTour