Benny Boscio, the president of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association, discusses the new Department of Correction commissioner, Stanley Richards, and the appointment of a remedial manager for Rikers Island (0:00).
- New Leadership at Rikers (0:00-0:36): Richards, a former Rikers detainee, is the new commissioner, but a federal judge has also appointed a remedial manager to oversee the facility.
- Union Concerns and Relationships (1:00-3:50): Boscio expresses a willingness to work with the new commissioner but highlights past rocky relationships, particularly regarding accusations of officers feigning illness during the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasizes the union’s exclusion from policy discussions and the perception of being scapegoated.
- Wish List for the Future (4:31-5:09): Boscio hopes for increased staffing levels (currently down 40% since 2019) and a more collaborative approach where the union’s insights, as “boots on the ground,” are valued in developing strategies.
- Challenges and Accountability (5:09-8:25): He discusses the severe overtime hours for officers, the high ratio of inmates to officers, and the dangerous conditions at Rikers, including nearly 700 assaults on officers in 2025. Boscio stresses that accountability should extend to inmates who commit crimes within the jail, arguing that current laws do not deter such behavior.
President of correction officers union talks new DOC commissioner | Inside City Hall.
Sources: NY1 and Spectrum News Video
