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Q&A
Efficacy of paid security guards in NYCHA developments
0:44:11
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165 sec
Council Member Bottcher discusses the use of paid security guards in NYCHA developments, particularly focusing on their limitations compared to uniformed police presence. Commissioner Strauber acknowledges the potential limitations of private security guards but notes that DOI hasn't specifically studied their relative effectiveness.
- Paid security guards have limited authority compared to uniformed police
- The possibility of hiring off-duty NYPD officers for NYCHA patrols is mentioned
- DOI has not specifically studied the efficacy of private security firms like Allied Universal in NYCHA developments
Erik D. Bottcher
0:44:11
Okay.
0:44:14
We're discussing in this hearing the use of paid security guards with services like Allied Universal.
0:44:26
We get in the the campuses that are located in my council district, NYCHA, Elliott, Chelsea, and Fulton Houses, a paid security detail has been hired.
0:44:43
I don't know if it's Allied, Universal, or another firm, but we get really mixed results from those security firms because they you know, as paid security detail, they lack the authority to do much other than be there and serve as a deterrent and, you know, ostensibly report things.
0:45:11
But they're not a substitute for a uniformed PD presence.
0:45:20
I understand that currently, it's not allowed it's not legally prohibited for, like, a RadPact partner, for example, to hire paid NYPD detail to patrol NYCHA developments.
0:45:41
Like, you know, in Duane Reade, they hire NYPD, off duty PD, other commercial enterprises.
0:45:51
Are you aware of that dynamic with paid NYPD detail in NYCHA campuses?
Jocelyn Strauber
0:45:57
I mean, we haven't, to my knowledge, looked into it.
0:46:00
As I'm sitting here, I don't have any information on that to to provide.
0:46:05
No.
0:46:05
It doesn't mean it's not happening or that it's not being contemplated or
Erik D. Bottcher
0:46:09
Sure.
Jocelyn Strauber
0:46:10
I just I can't speak to it.
Erik D. Bottcher
0:46:11
Do you have any assessment of the efficacy of security detail like Allied, Universal, even when they are present?
Jocelyn Strauber
0:46:21
Right.
0:46:21
Well, certainly if they're not present, they're not effective.
0:46:24
But the issue that you're raising, is obviously a slightly different one, is the limits of the authority and enforcement capability of a security detail of the type that Allied provides, That is not something that that as far as I know we've studied the sort of relative, but I I can certainly see how, you know, they serve primarily as a deterrent and my assumption is in a dangerous situation they would likely require more support to provide, you know, and and would would reach out to law enforcement if necessary.
Erik D. Bottcher
0:46:54
Thank you.
0:46:55
Thank