Aland Etienne Safety and Security Act introduced in New York City Council

New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams joined security officers, labor leaders and the family of Aland Etienne at City Hall on Thursday, Sept. 25, to introduce legislation honoring the unarmed officer killed in the July Midtown mass shooting.

The Aland Etienne Safety and Security Act would establish new standards for New York City’s 82,000 private security workers, including crisis training, wage increases and paid leave. Etienne, a Haitian immigrant and 32BJ SEIU member who lived in Brooklyn, was shot while helping office workers escape during the attack at 345 Park Avenue. He is survived by his partner Rachelle Paoli, their two children, his parents and five siblings.

Etienne’s story has drawn citywide attention. He was remembered as a “hero” by family and union members after the shooting and honored during a Brooklyn funeral service last month.

“Aland Etienne was a beloved father, son, brother and partner who cared deeply about the safety of the people who call this city home,” Adams said. 

“Security officers like Aland are integral to New York City’s public safety infrastructure, but too often they are not compensated or treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. I’m proud to introduce the Aland Etienne Safety and Security Act […] This historic legislation is part of the legacy of Aland Etienne, whose fierce love and commitment to New York City will be remembered forever.”

The bill would require an additional 16 hours of emergency preparedness and active shooter training for new hires within their first 120 days on the job, followed by annual refreshers. It also directs the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to phase in new wage, benefit and paid time off standards over four years.

Supporters say the law would address the industry’s high turnover rate, which reached 77 per cent last year. A UC Berkeley Labor Center study found that New York security guards earn a median annual income of $40,311, less than half of the city’s area median income, and more than a third lack employer-provided health insurance. The report also found that more than 90 per cent of security officers are workers of color, with Black workers accounting for half of all guards, and nearly 45 per cent were born abroad.

For Etienne’s younger brother, Smith, the measure is about carrying on his sibling’s spirit.

“My brother was someone who protected and uplifted others,” he said in a statement after the announcement. “If he were with us today, he’d be fighting for this legislation. Let’s honor his legacy by uplifting and protecting his colleagues across the city. Protect the protectors. Aland is a New York hero.”

Union leaders and elected officials pledged to push for swift passage of the bill.