[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6499599,"mediaKeyId","5809599-10c7b2c952a09ea42243fabf534b39fc","parentId",5809599,"title","Veterans Advisory Board recommendations: DVS pledges responses, process improvements and commitments on Dwyer funding","audioSeconds",493,"startMs",12106000,"endMs",12599000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5809599-10c7b2c952a09ea42243fabf534b39fc&start=12106&end=12599","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5809599-10c7b2c952a09ea42243fabf534b39fc/thumbnail_12106000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6499599/New-York/Veterans-Advisory-Board-recommendations-DVS-pledges-responses-process-improvements-and-commitments-on-Dwyer-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499599-7c6d32af50e5b0f1a230f9933ed010d7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157486&Signature=HGxppLCIkJ3Lhw0CMF04bmHiWb-9Zotnb6e53ehvao4owmHOvvMrQ3Zj330Ry-qEQwfWErb7jrUIyCasAOIqodIPgZ4CUn3Ko~RJzOtTz65lztgD1kEWS7gn~cobU691TOZjoHn0BstJvRaLOWSNm1wY9yXf1vUyN9WGOWXz2LWbbJ7jXBRhbi-4sLYO-DfCaHeuSu9dVhoCT5xnSLvisG~Sl6g8buzjrPja60i58MQcRYoAYVSJc7nxVLUyte8miCm9IBCjAx21iCAbQZEbWymjEABeBL~LTXGEZjcnFJMLNST00bxeZQlnsePSx1xGtv-kVAxFLaLy3LdZd8mLuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of New York, NY","date","2025-09-22T18:27:07.723Z","article","The New York City Department of Veterans Services told the Council's Veterans Committee it will take a series of administrative steps to implement recommendations from the Veterans Advisory Board's 2024 annual report, and outlined actions to stabilize Dwyer peer‑support funding and improve board operations.

DVS Commissioner James Hendon testified that the Veterans Advisory Board (VAB) has matured and now focuses each public meeting on 1–2 charter‑mandated topics (health care, housing, benefits, education and employment). The department said it would publish a public response to the VAB's annual report within 90 days and will broaden its outreach to notify community benefits organizations, community boards and education councils when VAB meetings are scheduled.

On the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer veteran support grants, Commissioner Hendon said the department's FY26 allocation will be recognized by the mayor's Office of Management and Budget as belonging to DVS at the start of the fiscal year to avoid the FY25 routing error that delayed payments. DVS said it will work with state partners to establish a direct state‑to‑DVS flow for future Dwyer funding.

The board had also recommended that new VAB appointments receive full three‑year terms and that members be required to attend most public sessions in person in the borough they represent. DVS indicated support for those steps and said it will work with mayoral and council appointment offices to improve seat‑fill and borough balance. The department also committed to codifying daily operating norms and bylaws to preserve continuity across administrations.

Ending: DVS offered several administrative commitments and said it will post a written response to the VAB report within 90 days. The department requested continued council engagement on funding, appointments and codifying VAB operating rules.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","🔴 LIVE: \"NYPD Officer Discipline & the Civilian Complaint Review Board,\" Committee on Public Safety","oneSentenceSummary","At a separate council hearing, the Department of Veterans Services said it will publish a formal response to the Veterans Advisory Board report within 90 days, streamline notice and codify operating norms, and work with the city and state to secure direct Dwyer program funding.","taxTitle","New York City Council, New York City, New York County, New York","taxId",77593,"location","New York","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6499604,"CCR B urges direct access to NYPD records and more funding as complaints surge",700,6287000,6987000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5809599-10c7b2c952a09ea42243fabf534b39fc&start=6287&end=6987","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5809599-10c7b2c952a09ea42243fabf534b39fc/thumbnail_6287000.jpg","/articles/6499604/New-York/CCR-B-urges-direct-access-to-NYPD-records-and-more-funding-as-complaints-surge","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499604-22695845514fa054289454c22a483ac8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157486&Signature=LeyUONTn734TTF9PnlreY9SnhtkyZUcQPl~i56dvB3cikXZqB~Bx0GCBmMOlstQFssm1Kg11UXWVPCAMozCOC-vexxtmaxCZWPCKZN-8mvl23pnmM436j8RLpgQyY~2ApVRnf03ffq2-9nrEIYPc7~N4aQ48EwMvzTxkZpJ02FJqTyYokrpPyoX4szkKEg6gbl9nyIxfjAMcF3l9frOB90hHZvYHEFP7GXF0MfpChmfUrEhx98rUNkIyRFJYy1nvniejiAdm55XLPLvyk5tp777XJkPTTs46wYxX-TcIEzuRshZMneVvJEMiMaAQlG9f6Vy6yX4MwgKbGnSOdBYwHw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Leaders of the Civilian Complaint Review Board told the City Council they need direct technical access to NYPD records, improved funding, and staffing changes to investigate complaints effectively after a rise in complaint volume.

At the Committee on Public Safety hearing, CCRB interim chair Dr. Mohammed Khalid and executive staff described how an increase in CCRB jurisdiction and complaint intake since 2022 has outpaced the board's resources. \"We do not have direct access to all the information our investigations require,\" the interim chair said. Investigators must request body‑worn camera footage and other records from the NYPD; those delays, CCRB officials said, slow investigations and can prevent full inquiries into serious allegations.

CCRB asked the council and state legislature to pursue an exemption from New York State sealing statutes that would permit CCRB direct access to records the NYPD now controls. CCRB staff also urged the council to preserve funding increases: the agency recently added investigator classes and sought additional prosecutors to lower an average caseload that the CCRB described as about 1,100 cases per APU team member.

The board also described staffing and compensation challenges. CCRB said the starting salary for a level‑1 investigator is $49,148 and that investigator attrition runs at roughly 4 percent. CCRB recommended creating an additional investigator level to provide promotion pathways and help retain senior investigators who can handle complex cases. CCRB staff said they had closed approximately 4,000 complaints under a \"strategic resource allocation\" policy because of staffing shortfalls, and cautioned the council that taking on new categories (for example, routine custody deaths) would require substantial additional resources.

Council members and advocates pressed for legislative and budgetary fixes: automatic CCRB initiation of custody‑death investigations; a predictable funding stream for the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer peer‑support grants; and codified procedures for data sharing with NYPD. NYPD witnesses at the hearing described progress in turnaround times for records and a 2023 MOU with CCRB for FID materials, but both sides agreed better tools and formalized access would speed investigations and improve public confidence.

Ending: The CCRB asked for statutory changes to bypass sealing statutes, more investigators and prosecutors, improved pay and promotion tracks, and clearer data‑sharing agreements with NYPD. The council said it would review budget requests and potential legislative options and requested follow‑up documentation from CCRB and NYPD.","The Civilian Complaint Review Board told council members it needs direct access to NYPD footage and more staff and pay to investigate complaints fully; CCRB leaders and council members tied resource gaps to lower substantiation rates and slower prosecutions.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6499609,"Council hearing spotlights spike in in‑custody deaths; families demand transparency and medical protocols",1377,4135000,5512000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5809599-10c7b2c952a09ea42243fabf534b39fc&start=4135&end=5512","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5809599-10c7b2c952a09ea42243fabf534b39fc/thumbnail_4135000.jpg","/articles/6499609/New-York/Council-hearing-spotlights-spike-in-incustody-deaths-families-demand-transparency-and-medical-protocols","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499609-d2acfebe97dce5bb9b616ba679bb4492/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157486&Signature=FjRH9lq2Xm0cXk9-v8WjWI7f6ATuKfHhltXieIRrFN2exta4FOEh2PmyXAkRAA-vFl8prCXRJz3XCaVUJIYiKpcNz0qb7hKza9wkxGoHXATT4jZagc6WylQfJga0U5Iuvty58oAobTp16vEdw5jBNqAZYPqt1cgRv1gNGEBaMiG2v73VJYLCTsM5p2x1mwc~Z~~4G6-R8D~O07DFM2xypnNUqwhgH9q3dT47WrulBLAT0~0RNZaTxRsT2Xu7EKfGX-JOn9iSa-HNm7f7xw1iTdGkkTgXSGd3uM1rl5NmuvJJCyY1EM819pKHvZRaA4jS0pqzldsqfWaEDj-wWg05Pw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Council members, public defenders and family members criticized the NYPD's handling of deaths in police custody at a Committee on Public Safety hearing, citing recent cases and persistent delays in investigations and family notifications.

Multiple council members and defense attorneys described recent in‑custody deaths as alarming and urged the NYPD to improve medical screening, share investigative findings promptly, and commit to independent review. Legal advocates and council members asked whether NYPD would support legislative changes to ensure medical care in criminal courthouses and to automatically trigger external oversight reviews for custody deaths.

\"We have 45 deaths in NYPD custody over the last two plus years,\" Council Member Brad Lander and others noted during questioning, and multiple speakers said the number of deaths in 2023 and 2024 is the highest in nearly a decade. Public defenders recounted specific cases in which people arrested for low‑level offenses were kept in holding areas without timely medical attention. \"He died alone in a cell after 10PM, hours after he and I both requested that he receive medical attention, but NYPD refused to give him medical help that could have saved his life,\" said defense attorney Claire Thomas, describing the case of Christopher Nieves.

Families of people who died in custody and their advocates urged CCRB jurisdiction or automatic CCRB initiation into custody deaths. CCRB leaders and defense lawyers said CCRB lacks the resources to routinely open independent investigations into every custody death; CCRB staffing, investigator pay and workload constraints are limiting factors. CCRB interim chair told the committee that fully taking on all custody‑death investigations would require a significant staffing increase.

NYPD officials said the Force Investigation Division (FID) automatically investigates deaths in custody and that the Department of Investigation (DOI) is conducting a review of recent custody deaths; FID will \"look at that holistically,\" the deputy commissioner said. Council members pressed whether FID would retain jurisdiction when allegations include failure to render medical aid; the deputy commissioner said FID would, and emphasized the need to balance transparency with preserving investigations and avoiding disclosure that could compromise criminal inquiries.

NYPD witnesses committed to provide the committee additional written policies and to follow up on several specific requests, including whether officers involved in recent deaths had been suspended or put on modified duty. Several council members and advocates urged statutory or charter changes to give CCRB greater authority or to create an independent medical review mechanism.

Ending: Advocates and elected officials left the hearing pressing for immediate procedural reforms: clearer medical screening and escort protocols for people in custody, better family communications during active investigations, and enhanced independent investigation capacity. The committee requested written follow up from NYPD, CCRB and DOI and indicated it would continue oversight work on custody‑death trends and next steps.","Council members and public defenders pressed NYPD officials over a recent rise in deaths in police custody, calling for clearer protocols, better family communication and independent review; NYPD said Force Investigation Division investigates every death and DOI will look at trends.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6499613,"Council hearing spotlights tension over police commissioner—authority after trial-room findings overturned",486,76000,562000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5809599-10c7b2c952a09ea42243fabf534b39fc&start=76&end=562","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5809599-10c7b2c952a09ea42243fabf534b39fc/thumbnail_76000.jpg","/articles/6499613/New-York/Council-hearing-spotlights-tension-over-police-commissionerauthority-after-trial-room-findings-overturned","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499613-c6a70cb65ba0a943d74e69870761497f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771157486&Signature=FM~QBrnJnbxX7ji~7bGMAzgrSB-iaVGakNmI2dj3mIOjAvNVgWMxwThUvbma29tZJyi6MJdQI~dBXYqtBJ8B3joF6Yqt2CCYWvUffvGFKYjnhtU7~3txRuIksFXx4TXZn9HjgSsPQbeVWvhDZAl22G3hmyQI0ICDJU-ddw9pCUCRyWnk7eKPgNYHJQXCrc~8ec4YM7yRERBWOQnKRXtpievPqhYHotil6PqNvwoYMunOLD08qNVYkDeREmEsfVc8g4yshWxzpPyQEyTPVEdouJG8XNpf9-yW4KdYCoWSimQ2s4GzX8Wc75L8QR~K8pInwohNW5J-i8G3JVrU6LCapQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The New York City Council Committee on Public Safety questioned NYPD leaders on the department's disciplinary process and the police commissioner's authority after internal and civilian reviewers recommended termination in a high‑profile use‑of‑force case.

Council members and the public advocate said the commissioner's ability to overturn findings by the department's deputy commissioner of trials and the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) threatens public trust. Deputy department officials defended the commissioner's legal role and described a case‑by‑case review of the record.

The dispute centers on the department's charter authority and one case in which a trial judge and the CCRB recommended firing an officer for conduct the judge described as rising to an assault felony. \"The police commissioner has plenary authority over discipline,\" the deputy commissioner told the committee. \"She is responsible for discipline in the department. And ultimately, when it comes to disciplinary matters, she is the decider.\" Council members including Diana Caban and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams pressed whether that authority should be absolute when it conflicts with findings by independent or departmental trial officers.

The CCRB and several council members said the effect of the commissioner's discretion has been to nullify otherwise substantiated misconduct findings. \"When we have to go back to our communities and say, trust the process, because no matter what you say, the process absolutely did not work in this case,\" Public Advocate Williams told the panel.

NYPD witnesses described the legal and practical basis for the commissioner's role: the department's chain of command, the discipline matrix that guides penalties, and a record review that, they said, explains departures from subordinate rulings. The deputy commissioner said the department makes rare departures from the matrix and that such departures are posted and explained on the NYPD website.

Council members sought data showing how often the department departs from CCRB recommendations and how those departures are justified. The deputy commissioner said the department relies on the CCRB's published data for concurrence rates and, taking certain short‑statute‑of‑limitations cases out of the accounting, said the concurrence rate in 2025 was about 91 percent. He also said concurrence varies by case type: roughly 95 percent for non‑APU cases and about 71 percent for charges and specifications (APU) cases.

Members repeatedly pressed whether the commissioner should have \"unfettered discretion\" to overturn two independent oversight bodies. Witnesses replied that the charter vests final authority in the commissioner and argued that the commissioner's written decisions engage with the trial record and explain the legal reasoning for any departure.

Ending: The committee did not vote on any change at the hearing. Council members indicated they would follow up with requests for documentation: the commissioner's decision letters, the NYPD's explanations when it departs from CCRB recommendations, and data underlying the concurrence rates. Several council members signaled support for legislative or charter changes to alter how disciplinary authority is allocated if the department cannot demonstrate consistent deference to independent findings.","City council members pressed NYPD officials over the police commissioner's power to reverse internal trial-room findings and civilian oversight recommendations after a high‑profile case in which two independent bodies found misconduct.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Veterans Advisory Board recommendations: DVS pledges responses, process improvements and commitments on Dwyer funding

CCR B urges direct access to NYPD records and more funding as complaints surge

Council hearing spotlights spike in in‑custody deaths; families demand transparency and medical protocols

Council hearing spotlights tension over police commissioner—authority after trial-room findings overturned