The Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor (WCNYH) is a regulatory agency in
Port of New York and New Jersey
The Port of New York and New Jersey is the port district of the New York-Newark metropolitan area, encompassing the region within approximately a radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.
It includes the system of navigable water ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. The bi-state agency was founded in 1953 by a Congressional authorized compact between New York and New Jersey "for the purpose of eliminating various evils on the waterfront in the Port of New York Harbor." Under statutory mandate, the mission of the commission is to investigate, deter, combat and remedy
criminal activity
In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Can ...
and influence in the
port district
In Canada and the United States, a port authority (less commonly a port district) is a governmental or quasi-governmental public authority_for_a_special-purpose_district.html" ;"title="110. - 6910./ref> is a type of Nonprofit organization">nonprof ...
and also ensures fair
hiring and
employment practices. New Jersey attempted to withdraw from the pact in 2018.
History
The commission was set up in August 1953 (a year before the movie ''
On the Waterfront'') to combat labor
racketeering. The commission was initially created to combat unfair hiring practices on the waterfront in response to the growing number of crimes being committed there.
Division of Licensing and Employment Information Centers
The Division of Licensing and Employment Information Centers is responsible for screening, registering, and licensing individuals who are interested in working at the dock. The commission is authorized to deny or revoke the registration or licenses of those who involve themselves in criminal activity.
Police Division
The WCNYH has its own police division (a.k.a. WCPD),
with state-certified peace officers that provide law enforcement services to the WCNYH areas.
Operations
The Police Division operates in
Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
and
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
and has three offices, two in NY:
*Broadway, N.Y.
*Brooklyn, N.Y.
and one in NJ:
*Port Newark/Elizabeth office.
The Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor cooperates with various state, federal, and local law enforcement authorities in pursuing investigations into waterfront-related crimes.
Investigations
The Waterfront Commission participated in the investigation of criminal activities by the leaders and members of the Gambino crime family and union leaders. Charges of
racketeering conspiracy,
extortion
Extortion is the practice of obtaining benefit through coercion. In most jurisdictions it is likely to constitute a criminal offence; the bulk of this article deals with such cases. Robbery is the simplest and most common form of extortion, ...
, theft of union benefits,
mail fraud
Mail fraud and wire fraud are terms used in the United States to describe the use of a physical or electronic mail system to defraud another, and are federal crimes there. Jurisdiction is claimed by the federal government if the illegal activity ...
,
false statements,
loansharking,
embezzlement of union funds,
money laundering, and illegal
gambling
Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three el ...
, dating back over three decades, were brought forth by the
in February 2008 against leaders of the Gambino crime family, their associates, and union officials.
[Press Release](_blank)
''United States Attorney's Office - Eastern District of New York'', February 7, 2008. The Police Division utilizes numerous vehicles in its vehicle fleet, including marked
police cars and
trucks
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction ...
.
Equipment
WCPD uses marked police patrol cars (such as Ford Explorer), command centre vehicles and boats for water work.
Officers wear a darkblue NYC-style police uniform, with:
*Eight-point peaked cap with cap-badge
*Blue shirt
*Blue trousers
*Black boots
*Blue jacket
It also includes a duty belt with equipment.
Identification includes the WCPD patch on both sides of the upper garments and a WCPD shield (badge) on the left breast.
Ranks
Ranks include:
New York State Inspector General report
On August 11, 2009, the New York State
Inspector General Joseph Fisch issued a report of his two-year investigation of the Waterfront Commission. The report detailed extensive illegal, corrupt and unethical behavior on the part of Waterfront Commission staff. Following release of the report, the large majority of the commission's executive staff were fired, including the New Jersey Commissioner Michael J. Madonna (the New York Commissioner's seat was vacant at the time of the report's release, although the report faulted the actions of the former New York Commissioner, Michael C. Axelrod).
The report's existence was due, in part, to two
whistleblower
A whistleblower (also written as whistle-blower or whistle blower) is a person, often an employee, who reveals information about activity within a private or public organization that is deemed illegal, immoral, illicit, unsafe or fraudulent. Whi ...
s, Kevin McGown and Brian Smith, who both resigned and have since filed a discrimination complaint against the agency.
New Jersey withdrawal from pact
In October 2014, the
New Jersey Senate passed measure S-2277 which would direct the governor of New Jersey to withdraw from the bi-state compact and transfer the commission's oversight responsibilities in New Jersey to the
state police. In May 2015, Governor
Chris Christie
Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, lobbyist, and former federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018.
Christie, who was born in N ...
conditionally vetoed S-2277 (and the corresponding bill A-3506 passed by the
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.
Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
), citing his concerns that the state lacked the authority to withdraw from the compact and arguing that the solution should be to modify the operations of the commission to minimize interference with waterfront operations.
Among his final actions in January 2018 before leaving office, Christie signed legislation allowing the state to withdraw from pact.
The Supreme Court has paused New Jersey's withdrawal from the compact creating the commission until it has addressed the merits of an injunction filed by the State of New York.
References
External links
Waterfront Commission of New York Harborhome page
Annual report The Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor 1994–2003.
New York Times articles about WCNYH
{{Law enforcement in New York City
Port of New York and New Jersey
United States interstate agencies
Specialist police departments of New York (state)
Specialist police departments of New Jersey
Law enforcement agencies of New York City
Government agencies established in 1953
1953 establishments in New York City
1953 establishments in New Jersey