News

June 20 – Deputy Chief of Staff Singer’s Testimony Before the Charter Revision Commission

Good evening, my name is Howard Singer. I’m the Deputy Chief of Staff for the 
Department of Correction and on behalf of the Commissioner I appreciate the opportunity to 
speak before you today.

Before I begin my testimony I’d like to take a moment to recognize the unfortunate duty passing of one of our Correction Officer’s, Robert Boom. Officer Boom suffered a medical 
episode this past Tuesday while at work and tragically passed away later that evening. Officer 
Boom boldly served our Department for close to 13 years. We extend our deepest condolences
to Officer Boom’s family, friends, and co-workers.

The New York City Department of Correction (DOC) is dedicated to maintaining safe and 
humane jails that provide individuals in our care with a path to successfully re-enter their 
communities. Those in the Department’s custody include individuals 18 years of age and older 
who are awaiting trial, who have been convicted and sentenced to less than one year of 
incarceration and persons held on state parole warrants. The Department currently operates 
seven facilities housing people in custody, all of which are located on Rikers Island with more 
than 7,500 diverse professionals, both uniform and non-uniform. The Department also operates 
court-holding facilities in each of the five boroughs and two hospital prison wards.

The Department houses an average daily population of over 6,300 individuals. Justice 
involvement is driven by many different factors, including mental illness, poverty, gang 
affiliation, and lack of economic and educational opportunities. It is our goal that individuals 
released from DOC custody have less adverse contact with the justice system in the future, and 
we work hard to ensure that those in our care are provided with resources that support a safer 
environment in the jails and successful reentry into the community. We are equally focused on 
ensuring that the uniformed and non-uniformed staff that work within our jails are supported 
in doing one of the most challenging jobs in law enforcement.

Considering our role and these significant responsibilities, we would like to propose
Charter revisions and their potential impact on public safety. Our responsibility is to ensure that 
any change to the laws and principles that guide our actions are based on sound correctional 
practices which allow the Department the flexibility necessary to safely manage our City’s jail 
system. Our recommendations are as follows:

• Sunset clauses for all reporting bills: We believe in transparency but are overburdened 
with reporting and are often required to report on outdated metrics, or in outdated 
ways, that pull our staff away from their core duties.

• Language throughout the City Charter should be gender-neutral.

• Language throughout DOC’s section of the charter should be revised to replace the 
terms “prisoner” or “inmate” with “individual in custody” or something similar.

• Section 623 should be amended to add paragraph 7: Except as otherwise provided by 
law, the Commissioner shall have all authority to maintain security to ensure the safety 
of those who work and live in correctional facilities including but not limited to 
monitoring phone calls and departmental-issued electronic devices of individuals in 
custody, conducting facility searches and placement of individuals in custody in 
restrictive housing areas.

• Section 628 should be added: The commissioner or their designee shall have the ability 
to request in writing that the speaker of the council assess the financial and operational 
impact of a local law if there is reasonable evidence it will hinder the department’s 
ability to engage in the safe and financially sound operation of the City’s correctional 
facilities. The council should then issue a response to the Commissioner or their 
designee within 30 days of receiving the request.

As with all City institutions, we are committed to serving the public interest, working with 
our city council colleagues, and fostering policies that serve the public’s trust. As stewards of 
public safety, we value and remain ever committed to being transparent, relying on sound best 
correctional practices, and believe that these recommendations will support our Agency’s 
mission to improve our jails, as our City deserves nothing less. 

Thank you for your time. We look forward to reviewing the suggestions that are made to 
the Commission and the recommendations that you will issue.