Statement by DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts
on Mayor Bloomberg's announced hiring of
400 civilian employees at NYPD

"We are pleased with today's announcement by Mayor Bloomberg that the city will hire 400 new civilian employees for non-enforcement duties at the New York City Police Department.

"Since taking office as Executive Director, I have been talking with the Mayor and the NYPD and pressing the union's position that civilianization at the Police Department will increase patrol strength on the street and save an estimated $125 million a year in taxpayer dollars.

"Police officers are trained to patrol and protect, not to do clerical work or other duties that many are presently performing. The members of DC 37 are professionals who are trained and experienced in performing these tasks. They do it more efficiently and at less cost to the taxpayers.

"This issue concerns more than a dozen DC 37 locals and members throughout the NYPD. We applaud the Mayor for moving forward on this issue at NYPD. DC 37 is also in the process of looking into other agencies where civilianization needs to be increased."


DC 37 is the city's largest public employee union with 121,000 members and 50,000 retirees.


Background: District Council 37 has a white paper and other information on civilianization on its website at http://www.dc37.net/news/headlines/civilian.html