Parole Officers to Demonstrate at Parolee's Bronx Arraignment Nov. 2

BRONX, NY (11/01/2011)(readMedia)-- When parolee Jonathan Lee is arraigned on attempted murder and other charges in Bronx Supreme Court Wednesday, November 2, at 9 a.m., dozens of state parole officers will be there.

The officers are turning out en masse for the arraignment because the persons Lee allegedly attacked and tried to kill were state parole officers who were attempting to execute a warrant for his arrest for parole violations. A parole supervisor and two parole officers were injured in the September 2 incident.

The officers want to draw the public's attention to the dangers and complex responsibilities they face on the job every day, and to the possible layoff of officers November 4.

State parole officers and supervisors are members of the NYS Public Employees Federation (PEF), New York's second-largest state-employee union. Those layoffs may be avoided if the 55,000 PEF members vote November 3 to ratify a contract with the state.

PEF represents more than 900 officers and other parole-related state employees.

For more information, contact Sherry Halbrook on her cell at 518 396-8201, or at 800 342-4306, ext. 271.

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