Q&A
DOC's response to sexual assault allegations and investigations
2:21:39
·
140 sec
Council Member Sandy Nurse questioned DOC officials about their response to the high volume of sexual assault lawsuits filed under the Adult Survivors Act. DOC officials stated they are cooperating with investigations but could not discuss specifics due to active litigation. They confirmed that individuals named in lawsuits no longer work at the Rose M. Singer Center.
- DOC takes allegations seriously and has taken steps to address situations that gave rise to allegations
- Officials could not provide specific details on internal investigations due to active litigation
- DOC confirmed cooperation with all investigations related to the lawsuits
Sandy Nurse
2:21:39
Thank you, council member of Era.
2:21:42
We just have a handful of questions that we wanna make sure to get on the record, and then we're gonna start opening it up for testimony.
2:21:51
I wanna turn to sexual assault.
2:21:54
I know that we've talked about your grievance system.
2:21:59
We brought up the sexual assault allegations that have come up, I think, 700.
2:22:06
So I just wanna continue in that thread of conversation as we're conducting our hearings for the rest of the day here.
2:22:12
Because it is such a a pretty astounding volume of lawsuits alleging sexual abuse and sexual violence.
2:22:21
So We know that many of these lawsuits involve allegations that date back several years against former staff members.
2:22:32
And the news outlet, Gothamists, recently reported that at least 5 current DOC employees have been accused of rape and sexual assault, and 3 still work at Rose M Singer Center.
2:22:43
So I wanted to just kind of get on the record, has DOC conducted an internal investigation against all officers who have been named in lawsuits that alleged sexual assault, and if not, does the DOC plan to investigate these claims?
Francis Torres
2:22:59
Thank you for the question madam chair.
2:23:01
I'm bringing deputy commissioner general counsel, James Conroy, to respond to your question.
James Conroy
2:23:08
Good afternoon, council member.
2:23:10
As you know, the the ASA lawsuits are active litigation and those incidents that you specifically referenced on objective investigation, not only internally, but externally.
2:23:21
So we can't speak of them specifically.
2:23:23
However, I I will say that this commissioner and this administration takes any of these allegations extraordinarily seriously, and steps have been taken to ensure that those specific individuals are not in those same situations that gave rise to these allegations.
Sandy Nurse
2:23:40
So just to confirm, yes or no, yes, you are all doing an invest activation active investigation on everyone that has been named?
James Conroy
2:23:48
We are cooperating, yes, with with all investigation.
Sandy Nurse
2:23:51
Do any individuals named in the Adult SURVIVORS Act lawsuits still work at Rose M Singer Center?
James Conroy
2:23:57
They do not.
2:23:59
Okay.
