Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
AGENCY TESTIMONY
Funding requests for alternative to incarceration programs and equipment upgrades
5:33:48
ยท
3 min
Bridget Brennan presents funding requests for the fiscal year 2026, focusing on supporting alternative to incarceration programs and upgrading equipment for the investigator unit. She also addresses staffing challenges and the office's efforts in recruitment and retention.
- Request for $218,841 to support the alternative to incarceration (ATI) program
- Request for $150,000 in capital funding to upgrade radios for the investigators unit
- Emphasis on the office's reduced headcount compared to pre-COVID years and ongoing efforts to address staffing shortages
Bridget Brennan
5:33:48
So I do have a few asks.
5:33:51
I'm gonna skip right to that now.
5:33:54
And of course I'll entertain any questions, but I do urge you to read our testimony which has more comprehensive information in it.
5:34:04
So we've accomplished a lot over the past year.
5:34:08
It's really gratifying to us to finally see some of the overdose deaths coming down.
5:34:13
And our staff does have enormous workloads just like the other DAs.
5:34:19
We continue to operate with significantly reduced head count when compared to the pre COVID years.
5:34:26
And that adds to the responsibility of our existing staff members.
5:34:31
And we continue to have these staff shortages.
5:34:35
We work hard on recruitment and we talk to the DAs about how we might be able to shore up some of our shortages.
5:34:43
But when they're facing short staffs themselves, it's very difficult for them to staff us.
5:34:50
So we work diligently on recruitment and retention and we are enjoying some success.
5:34:58
So for 2026, we're asking for the council's support for two funding requests.
5:35:04
We're renewing our request to support our alternative to incarceration program, ATI, which was expanded in 2020 along to incorporate the Manhattan felony alternatives to incarceration.
5:35:19
For a while Manhattan took us under their wing and allowed our defendants to participate in the program they were funding.
5:35:27
But we still collaborate with them and with the Center for Justice initiatives to assist individuals who were not previously served by preexisting programs.
5:35:39
So we're requesting additional funds for that, dollars 218,841 for that program for FY 02/2006.
5:35:51
To meet an entirely different need, we're also submitting a request for $150,000 in capital funding to upgrade radios for our investigators unit in 2026.
5:36:04
We do have our own investigators who work closely with DEA or NYPD on cases they tend to be retired PD narcotics detectives or retired DEA agents.
5:36:21
So in closing, I appreciate the close relationship my office has with the council.
5:36:27
Over the past years, I've met with many members and many of your constituents to learn about specific community concerns and how to address them.
5:36:37
And I remain available to any of you at any time if you have a particular problem you want to talk about or generally speak about the problems that we're facing.
5:36:48
Thank you so much for your support and thanks to the DAs for all their support through the years.