NYC correction officers’ union uses trucks to slam City Council plan to ban solitary confinement

The union representing New York City jail officers dispatched trucks with billboards warning against the City Council’s plan to ban solitary confinement — which they claim will jeopardize the safety of guards and inmates.

The Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association (COBA) went on an 11th-hour offensive Monday urging councilmembers not to vote for the legislation and slamming Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who is sponsoring the bill expected to pass on Wednesday.

“Jumaane Williams advocates to protect violent offenders instead of making our jails safer for everyone,” read an ad splashed on one of the trucks sent out across the city by the union.

“In New York City jails, who pays the price?” another sign read.

According to the union, 6,500 New York City Department of Correction (DOC) officers have been assaulted by inmates at Rikers Island and other jails over the past three years.

COBA argues that eliminating solitary confinement for violent offenders would make other inmates, as well as guards, more prone to attacks and would also worsen conditions at the troubled Rikers Island jail complex.

Mayor Eric Adams and the DOC oppose the measure, with City Hall arguing that such confinement is not currently being used at Rikers.

“Instead of promoting a humane environment within our jails, the Council’s bill would foster an environment of fear and instability. It would make it harder to protect people in custody, and the predominantly black and brown workers charged with their safety, from violent individuals,” a mayoral spokesman said.

“We encourage any council member committed to the safety of those in our care and those who protect them to vote against this bill.”

Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Queens) is a sponsor of the bill, and there may be enough votes to override a mayoral veto should the Council approve the legislation as expected.

“COBA had every opportunity to collaborate with us on ending solitary confinement, which the UN designates as torture but is still happening in our city today — unfortunately, they ignored our repeated outreach and have instead spread misinformation about the bill,” a spokesperson for Williams said in a statement to The Post on Monday.

“Solitary makes our jails less safe, our city less safe, and banning it is good for public safety. I’d still be happy to communicate with them about how to make Rikers safer for people on both sides of the bars, ideally in a more effective medium than billboards.”

Williams defended the measure in a post on X, citing the names of family members whose loved ones died after being placed in solitary.

“The grief of Tamara Carter, the Browders, and Layleen Polanco’s family shows the harm done by taking away a basic human right,” he said.

The public advocate also noted that other unions back the bill, including Service Employees International Union Local 1199 representing hospital workers.