GOP Candidate Blakeman Secures Correction Officers' Union Endorsement, Promises Solitary Confinement Reform

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman announced Tuesday that he has received the endorsement of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA). Blakeman pledged to ease restrictions on solitary confinement, a move the union argues is necessary to address escalating violence and understaffing within the state's prison system.

NYSCOPBA President Chris Summers stated that union members voted overwhelmingly, 1,380-78, to endorse Blakeman, signaling a rejection of Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration. "They've been speaking for the last three years, screaming at the top of their lungs that they need help," Summers said, characterizing the vote as the union's membership speaking "loud and clear."

Blakeman, who currently serves as Nassau County executive, promised "help is on the way" and committed to rolling back the state's HALT (Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement) Act restrictions if elected governor. He also indicated support for increasing correctional officer pay and pledged not to close any more state prisons, referencing facilities shuttered during Hochul's tenure.

Union representatives cited a growing crisis in state prisons, including an increase in the average length of stay on Rikers Island and the continued deployment of National Guard troops to assist correctional staff. According to a recent mayor's management report, the average stay on Rikers Island increased from 87 to 116 days. A spokesperson for the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision confirmed that 3,000 National Guard troops remain assigned to prisons, and full-time staffing levels have declined.

Union members shared personal accounts of violence within correctional facilities. Kim Strawbrich, a corrections officer, recounted being severely attacked by inmates at Groveland Correctional Facility, an incident that led to her forced retirement due to a traumatic brain injury. Strawbrich stated she was working extended shifts at the time of the attack and warned that "someone is going to get killed."

In response to the endorsement, a spokesperson for Gov. Hochul criticized Blakeman's proposal to deputize local police for immigration enforcement, calling them an "untrained, armed MAGA militia." The spokesperson also reiterated the administration's stance that correctional officers were responsible for an illegal strike last year, stating they "abandoned their posts." The corrections department, in a statement, affirmed its commitment to strengthening staffing and facility operations to ensure the safety of staff and inmates.