Is RIOC keeping two sets of books for PSD staffing? Our investigation shows a wide gap between public information and private reality.

By David Stone

The Roosevelt Island Daily News

PSD Staffing Has Two Versions

The numbers just pop out at you, the gap between greater than a simple mistake can explain. And no obvious solution exists for filling the crevice. But here’s what we do know.

Virtually identical to previous years, RIOC’s proposed budget for the coming fiscal year lists 51.5 full time equivalent jobs in the Public Safety Department. That accounts for over $2.8 million in payroll, and the board approved it in October. Approval by overseers in Albany is pending for a fiscal year beginning April 1st. 2022.

Here at The Daily, we’ve criticized the employee count as excessive, especially given endless complaints about the department’s ineffectiveness. But RIOC remained steadfast. In fact, after a series of incidents involving a dog killed by a car on the West Promenade and several pedestrians struck in crosswalks, this fall, President/CEO insisted that they were fully staffed.

“As another point of clarification, the Public Safety Department is not short-staffed as we have only one vacant position at this time,” he wrote in a statement.

That contradicted reported comments by PSD Deputy Chief Anthony Amorosa while talking to the Common Council and the heartbroken family whose dog died. Amorosa said the PSD could not do all that residents wanted because they were understaffed.

But it may be far worse than that.

Two Sets of Numbers, Budget and Realty

In fact, Amorosa may be right, and he may have understated the issue.

Over time, we’ve learned to never take President Haynes at face value. His claims have turned out false, always requiring double-checking. For that reason, we foiled the state agency for a list of every employee and their salary. What we got back was shocking.

Not the 51.5 full timers assigned PSD in the budget, a number we as well as the board and state officials rely on, the roster shows only 41 officers and supervisors. That includes three official earning six figure salaries, but in the budget, their pay is understated by $10 -20 thousand each.

This means that budgets are being approved for much higher figures than RIOC actually spends, according to their own documents. And it suggests that Haynes was far from truthful in saying PSD “is not short-staffed.”

The larger question is, Where did the money go? If RIOC forces Roosevelt Islanders into coughing up for 51.5 PSD staff, where are they? Is there deception? Is the money missing or diverted? And what’s with the apparent glaring lack of oversight and accountability?

Conclusion on PSD Staffing

RIOC as well as the nameless Albany executive chamber managers who are ultimately in charge of operations owes Roosevelt Islanders an explanation and a cleanup, if necessary.

There’s an Inspector General, an Attorney General and local elected officials who should hear alarms. With a lame board of directors routinely unwilling to do more than nap through meetings, the community paying the bills has little to no access into RIOC’s internal doings. And even when they find issues, residents have no option for demanding change.

While no absolute proof exists of any wrongdoing, there’s plenty of smoke for sending responsible parties racing in, looking for the fire.

More from the Roosevelt Island Daily

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  Tuesday’s PSD blotter: noise calls, a harassment reportNovember 11, 2026
  RIOC’s Nov. 10 PSD blotter lists 15 incidents, all on Main Street, including four noise complaints, a harassment report and one hospital transport.
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  Queens Public Library Ransomware Attack: Digital Services Still DisruptedNovember 11, 2026
  The Queens Public Library ransomware attack continues to disrupt public computers, digital books and online services, with no confirmed restoration date.
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  A new RIOC appeals officer denied records on how its general counsel was hiredNovember 10, 2026
  A different RIOC appeals officer denied records on how RIOC hired general counsel Lance Polivy. RIOC’s internal deliberations on the hire stay withheld.
• 
  Monday’s PSD blotter: two hospital transports, two disputesNovember 10, 2026
  RIOC’s Nov. 9 PSD blotter lists 14 incidents, including four aided calls with two hospital transports and a verbal dispute at 750 Main Street that drew FDNY.
• 
  Flushing Spa Murder: Man Charged After Woman Found Stabbed to DeathNovember 10, 2026
  Flushing spa murder investigation leads to a murder charge against a 54-year-old man after a woman was found fatally stabbed in a Queens storefront.

The Steam Tunnel Repair That Disappeared

RIOC studied it, designed a repair, called it a public-safety problem and repeatedly placed millions of dollars into its capital plans. Then the construction money went to zero.

Theo Gobblevelt Oct 23, 2026

Capital projects change. Costs rise, engineering evolves, funding moves and questions of ownership can complicate even urgent work. But the Roosevelt Island Steam Tunnel was not a speculative improvement that simply slipped down a priority list. RIOC’s own records describe an infrastructure problem known for decades.

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