By DEBORAH A. MILES
Since the April 15 shooting of parole officer Samuel Salters at his desk in a downtown Brooklyn office by a parolee, the state Division of Parole has installed metal detectors in the Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens parole offices.
PEF and the Division of Parole agreed upon a pilot program in 2009 that would install two metal detectors in offices in New York City. The program stalled over disagreement on how to staff the detectors.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t until after the shooting of Salters that implementation of the metal-detector program became a priority.
Ismael
Cruz Jr, PEF chair of the joint health and safety committee at the division,
said the metal detectors deter parolees from bringing in weapons. “They have made a difference from the first day they were in use,” Cruz said. “They were placed in high-risk offices and that is a good start.
“Parole officers realize the harsh budget restraints placed on the division by the state during a time when our elected officials can’t balance a budget. Parole officers agreed to staff the metal detectors during the trial phase. It is still unresolved who will staff them later,” Cruz said.
“We are willing to work and cooperate with the division because we all realize how important it is for us to remain safe. It’s our own lives and the lives we protect in the community. But we also need to weigh in that staffing the metal detectors reduces time we have for our caseloads.”
PEF
parole leaders Manuelita Clemente, Michael Murphy, Cruz and Darryl Stevenson
sent a letter to Andrea Evans, chair of the state Board of Parole, in early
June expressing PEF’s concerns regarding the significant risks of violence
in parole offices.Clemente said PEF appreciates Evans’ leadership in obtaining the three used metal detectors, which came from the state Office of General Services. She said PEF is concerned about the condition of the metal detectors and inquired if the division had information about the reliability and quality of the equipment. She requested the program be quickly developed and implemented.
Another issue involves the Workplace Violence Prevention Law that requires each state agency to conduct a risk evaluation and determination for each worksite.
The Division of Parole has conducted most of the evaluations, but not the determinations. Clemente asked that a plan be established for division management to work with PEF representatives at each site and complete the remaining risk evaluations and all of the determinations within 60 days.
Clemente said she felt optimistic Evans would respond.
“No one wants to see any more violence, deaths or shootings,” Clemente said. “This last incident involving officer Salters has put us closer to being on the same page.
