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Q&A
Council Member Rita C. Joseph questions NYPD on fare evasion and assistant school safety agents
2:29:14
·
4 min
Council Member Rita C. Joseph engages in a Q&A session with NYPD officials, focusing on fare evasion enforcement practices and the new assistant school safety agent program. She raises concerns about an incident in her district and inquires about the training, deployment, and characteristics of the new school safety position.
- Joseph expresses concern over an aggressive fare evasion enforcement incident in her district
- NYPD officials provide details on the new assistant school safety agent program, including salary, training, and deployment plans
- The discussion reveals that 400 positions for assistant school safety agents have been approved, primarily for elementary schools
Rita C. Joseph
2:29:14
Thank you chairs.
2:29:15
Commissioner, how are you?
2:29:17
I have a couple of questions.
2:29:18
One, what is the rule around fare evasion?
2:29:21
There was an incident in my district with a gentleman who got on the bus who didn't pay his fare, but the way he was treated it took seven officers to subdue someone for $2.90, and if I recall correctly, I know that the council had passed a bill that there should be education and then enforcement, that if you do take someone for fare evasion, they should you should notify them that there's fair fares.
2:29:47
I didn't see that happen in that video.
2:29:50
We can have a offline conversation and show you what transpired in my community, and it's an it's unacceptable.
2:29:56
Right?
2:29:57
For February, took seven officers to put one gentleman in a car?
Joseph M. Gulotta
2:30:01
Yeah.
2:30:01
I I would have to take a look.
2:30:02
So MTA works with us with Eagle teams
Robert F. Holden
2:30:05
Mhmm.
Joseph M. Gulotta
2:30:05
With NYB team officers as well with bus enforcement.
2:30:08
So I'd be happy to look at that and see see what happened and work closely with you.
Rita C. Joseph
2:30:12
Yeah.
2:30:12
Would love to do that because I don't want that to happen because I'm sure that could happen to one of my older adults who got on the bus and didn't pay their fares, but you know we want to make sure that it was a lot to watch, and and and it was very aggressive for $2.90.
Joseph M. Gulotta
2:30:28
Understood.
2:30:29
I'm I'm happy to work with you on that.
Rita C. Joseph
2:30:30
Thank you.
2:30:31
Has OMB and the office of labor relations made progress in the salary for assistant school safety agents?
Kristine Ryan
2:30:37
Yes.
2:30:39
Yes.
2:30:39
So for the, assistant school safety agent title that has been established, it's $37,000, and we are looking to hire our first group of assistant school safety agents in July.
Rita C. Joseph
2:30:52
And that's the official title?
Kristine Ryan
2:30:54
Yes.
Rita C. Joseph
2:30:55
If yes, the salary is can you repeat that again?
Kristine Ryan
2:30:58
Yeah.
2:30:58
I'm gonna get you the exact amount.
2:31:01
It's 37,000, but
Rita C. Joseph
2:31:03
And how many have you hired?
Kristine Ryan
2:31:05
We haven't hired any yet because we are waiting for the certification from the state and then the establishment of the official salary, so the first class will be in July.
Rita C. Joseph
2:31:14
And what type of training, drawn out the modified training for assistance school safety agents, what type of training will they receive?
Tracy Mulet
2:31:27
Hi, good afternoon Inspector Tracy Mullet.
Rita C. Joseph
2:31:30
Good afternoon Inspector.
Tracy Mulet
2:31:31
Thank you ma'am.
2:31:32
They will receive eight weeks of training that will encounter physical fitness, as well as NYPD, New York City Public Schools rules and regulations, visitor protocol.
2:31:44
Also, they'll learn about restorative justice, as well as dealing with child in crisis.
Rita C. Joseph
2:31:49
And, de escalation will be part of that training as well as these are what was the age group for hiring school safety assistants?
Tracy Mulet
2:31:56
Eighteen, seventeen depending on how advanced they are I guess if they finish high school, but definitely high school no older than 21.
2:32:04
Everyone under than 21.
Rita C. Joseph
2:32:06
De escalation is part of the training, and what type of uniform will they have?
Tracy Mulet
2:32:10
They'll have the light blue uniform with the patch on the side that'll say assistance school safety agent.
Rita C. Joseph
2:32:16
How will you be able to differentiate them?
Tracy Mulet
2:32:19
The patch and then also they won't have a shield on them.
Rita C. Joseph
2:32:23
They won't have a shield.
2:32:24
And how many of these positions will be funded?
Kristine Ryan
2:32:27
So we got approval for 400.
Rita C. Joseph
2:32:31
And how do you how how you decide where you place them in the schools?
Tracy Mulet
2:32:35
They'll be placed in the elementary schools and that'll be determined with communication.
2:32:41
Definitely collaboration with New York City Public School System, as well as the incidents that they are, as well as the population.
Rita C. Joseph
2:32:48
And, the funding will be is it an intra agency funding between New York City Public Schools and NYPD just like school safety agents?
Tracy Mulet
2:32:55
Yes.
2:32:56
It is, ma'am.
Rita C. Joseph
2:32:57
When go ahead.
Kristine Ryan
2:32:58
Sorry.
2:32:59
Just the exact salary for these in school safety agent is 37,339.
Rita C. Joseph
2:33:06
And why why elementary schools?
Tracy Mulet
2:33:09
Just because they're just still coming out of
Carolyn Lewis
2:33:11
high
Tracy Mulet
2:33:11
school.
2:33:13
High school, they're just graduating.
2:33:15
We figured elementary, a smaller environment, younger kids, it'll be an easy assimilation for them.
Rita C. Joseph
2:33:22
Okay.
2:33:22
Thank you.
2:33:23
Thank you, chairs.
Tracy Mulet
2:33:24
Just a note, it just came out last night.
2:33:27
It is out the link for the job, so all can apply in that age group, and we sent you the link, ma'am.