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More than a year and a half after the death of Nixzmary Brown, the Administration for Children's Services has hired 20 retired NYPD detectives to work as trained investigators consulting with ACS caseworkers. The ACS plans on eventually fielding 120 such investigators.
The need for a bolder approach to protecting children being monitored by the ACS follows the beating death of Brown in January 2006 and a number of other deaths of children under ACS supervision. The controversy over Brown's death led to a shake up at the agency and the suspension of some caseworkers.
Traditionally, relations between ACS and the police have been contentious. According to the Daily News, confidentiality laws have prevented caseworkers from sharing a family's history with police, and cops are rarely (if ever) called should a caseworker find something suspicious about a child's family situation. Now, the investigative consultants will train caseworkers to probe deeper when checking up on children's welfare and for the time being will assist them by doing legwork in locating individuals.
With the hiring of additional consultants, they may eventually accompany caseworkers into the field. Matt Fraher, an investigative consultant in northern Queens, described what he hoped to accomplish [pdf] working for ACS.
“I was trained by the NYPD and the State Police in their child abuse and sex crimes seminars, where I learned specific interview and interrogation techniques. With that training, and 20 years on the streets, I know what to look for in body language, how to tell when a person’s lying, or if they’re hiding something. I see my role here as a teacher. I’m trying to communicate and share the information and experience it took me 20 years to build.”Investigative consultants will earn $51,000 a year, which is more than the $38,000 starting salary for a caseworker.
(Photo of Nixzmary Brown's funeral)
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Amazing it's taken so long - and so many tragedies - for this to happen.
According to the Daily News, confidentiality laws have prevented caseworkers from sharing a family's history with police, and cops are rarely (if ever) called should a caseworker find something suspicious about a child's family situation.
That's completely outrageous. No wonder so many kids fell through the cracks with idiotic nonsense like this preventing the people who wanted to help them from doing so.
quit complaining about this & be glad that they're taking a step in the right direction.
i mean, really, stop blaming acs & put the blame where it belongs: on the parents.
I wonder if the former police officers will be getting both pensions and the salary. That would seem like a bit of double dipping.
That occurred to me as well Toby. I checked though, and Section 211 of the New York State Retirement and Social Security Law allows a person retired from a city job to retain their pension while working a subsequent job for the city if the hiring agency gets approval from the New York State Civil Service Commission. I'm assuming ACS secured a dispensation for these investigative consultants.
#4 Toby: If they put in their time why would it be double dipping??
Please….. this is the smartest thing I have heard in a long while coming from ACS. Lets save the children from the monsters that are their parents. Someone with experience and that cares. Perfect fit if you think about it. And if they already have a pension coming, then they are really doing it to primarily help the children. Ex cops have so many excellent opportunities after they retire. 50K is a drop in the bucket because they can make double that in the private sector.
[6] I agree that this is a good idea, but the New York City Charter says that a retired city worker must suspend or have their pension forfeited if he or she takes a subsequent job with the State or any political agency aligned with the State. The practice is known as double-dipping and those who are caught doing it are liable to repay every dollar of pension they collected while working the subsequent job.
To all those nay sayers that think "child protection" is just that, and the parents are the bad guys, I say take a look online search "Child Protective Services" nightmares or fight[ing]CPS and see what you come up with.
Then take a look at Federal Funding Title IV-E and figure out why there are so many "abusers" out there that shouldnt have their children.
Wake up! If this is your attitude [Zodak(3) and Marygrace [6] dont have children, or you will be rudely awakened one day when they come knocking on your door and suddenly "child abuse" and "child protection" take on a whole new meaning.
You might also want to take a look at these blogs...
ACSmustBeStopped.blogspot.com, an ex child service worker with ACS who tells it like it is.
DisgustedWithTheSystem.blogspot.com, a mother [ME] falsely accused by "child protective services" personal account of the whole nightmare, from false accusation to having the case over turned and how her life was destroyed in the process.