Golden Malliotakis Stand with COs, Urge De Blasio To Secure Juvenile Detention Center
State Sen. Martin J. Golden (R-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach, Gravesend, parts of Sheepshead Bay, Borough Park, Midwood) and Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-Bay Ridge, Staten Island) yesterday called on Mayor Bill de Blasio to take immediate action in response to the Correction Officers Benevolent Association (COBA) demands, asking that safety measures and protocols be reviewed, and stricter polices put in place immediately, to protect the officers at the Horizon Juvenile Center.
The call came a day after roughly 20 officers suffered injuries stopping a brawl between two groups of inmates at the Bronx juvenile facility, where 16- and 17-year-old criminal offenders were moved after being taken out of Rikers to comply with the state’s Raise the Age law. There have been a number of additional fights and incidents where officers have been hurt at Horizon since its opening last week.
The lawmakers are further echoing COBA President Elias Husamudeen’s call for the City to close the Horizon Juvenile Center if they fail to make changes that will see order restored inside the facility. Much to the disbelief of Golden and Malliotakis, Mayor de Blasio has stated that “the new facilities have been set up to be secure”.
“The men and women who are New York’s Boldest need better protection in the performance of their duties. Mayor de Blasio and the City Corrections Department need to immediately get hold of this situation at Horizon, and elsewhere in the system and set protocols in place to more adequately protect those who serve in our jails,” said Golden. “The current policies are putting the brave men and women who wear the Corrections uniform in even greater danger, and we must end this. All those who serve our City and protect our jails want is to go home to their families, unharmed, at the end of their tour. We owe them that chance each and everyday.”
“The Horizon facility needs to be shut down until the city can come up with a plan in conjunction with corrections officers to address the problem of increased violence before someone gets killed. The city is being greatly irresponsible by opening this facility without such a plan and mixing violent gang members with juvenile delinquents convicted of less serious crimes,” said Malliotakis.
Mixing the two only makes it easier for gangs to recruit new members who otherwise could have gotten on the right track. We are endangering both juvenile delinquents and corrections officers who are being stripped of the tools needed to deal with violent criminals, some of whom have been remanded for murder or attempted murder. If these offenders cannot be sent to Rikers Island because of their age, then a separate facility needs to be created to house minors convicted of heinous crimes,” she added.
Lander Tells Constituents There’s Still Time For Participatory Budgeting
City Council Member Brad Lander (D-Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington) is reminding constituents that today is the deadline to submit ideas for participatory budgeting (PB), which allows constituents a say on how a certain amount of discretionary money that council members receive through the city budget is spent.
Among the ideas that have come up thus far from PB neighborhood assemblies thus far have been a dog run at Carroll Park, a community garden for Bangladeshi produce and benches outside the Borough Park library, Lander said.
“Even after eight years, I still feel as excited about each new cycle as I did at the beginning. Participatory Budgeting helps inspire confidence that by working together, we can solve problems and make our community better — a confidence that we need badly, with trust in our democracy and institutions so badly corroded. Despite what’s going on all around us, PB shows that we can put our trust in each other,” said Lander.
Lander’s constituents can submit ideas for funding online here. They can also take a look at the other ideas submitted online this cycle and rate them here.
Eugene To Host Public Events Commemorating New York City Haitian Day
City Councilman Mathieu Eugene (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Prospect Lefferts Garden) this weekend will host a public events commemorating Oct. 9 as New York City Haitian Day.
Festivities will honor the legacy of free Haitian men who fought alongside colonial soldiers at the Battle of Savanah during the Revolutionary War.
At 12 noon, tomorrow, Oct. 6, Eugene will host a Haitian Flag Raising Ceremony at Bowling Green’s Charging Bull Triangle in Lower Manhattan. Then later in the month from 7-10 p.m., Sunday Oct. 21, Eugene will host the 2018 NYC Haitian Day Celebration at the Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights.
Bay Democrats Celebrate District Leader Margarita Kagan’s Re-election Victory
Bay Democrats’ Female District Leader Margarita Kagan’s big re-election victory will be celebrated at Bay Democrats political club’s next meeting.
The evening’s agenda also includes endorsements for November’s races and an analysis of last September’s primary results.
The 45th Assembly District includes all or parts of the following communities: Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Sheepshead Bay, Homecrest, Midwood, Gravesend and Marlboro. All community members are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served. For further information, please call (646) 797-6552.
