ALBANY, N.Y. (WKBW) — New York’s public protection budget took center stage last Thursday at a joint legislative hearing, where lawmakers revisited the continued deployment of the National Guard inside state prisons.
The National Guard was first deployed to Department of Corrections and Community Supervision facilities in February 2025 as corrections officers across New York State took part in a wildcat strike over what they claimed were unsafe working conditions inside state prisons. The strike forced the state to scramble for personnel to maintain security and keep essential services running inside facilities.
National Guard soldiers are still working inside state prisons, and at Thursday’s hearing, DOCCS Commissioner Daniel Martuscello III defended the Guard’s role, pushing back on concerns raised by some lawmakers and advocates.
“I’ve repeatedly heard from DOCCS staff and incarcerated individuals that the National Guard is generally not playing a helpful role in prison operations,” said New York State Senator Julia Salazar (D-NY 18 Senate District).
Commissioner Martuscello responded to deny that claim.
“[National Guard] is certainly helping us provide a better work-life balance," said Martuscello. "We're not where we need to be for staff."
The 2027 NYS executive budget includes $535 million to extend the deployment of the National Guard at state correctional facilities. This is in addition to over $700 million in projected National Guard spending on this mission through the end of the fiscal year 2026.
WATCH: Hochul's budget includes $535M to extend deployment of National Guard at NYS correctional facilities
Martuscello acknowledged it is not a long-term solution, but said the number of deployed Guardsmen has dropped from about 7,000 at the height of the crisis to roughly 2,700 today.
Martuscello testified that recruitment efforts are beginning to show progress. According to the department, more than 60,000 people have expressed interest in becoming correctional officers, with roughly 20,000 now eligible. Retention losses, which once reached as high as 80 to 100 officers per pay period, have dropped significantly.
The Guard’s continued role is part of Governor Kathy Hochul’s “Recover, Recruit, and Rebuild” initiative, launched in March 2025. The multi-faceted plan is aimed at strengthening safety and security for both incarcerated individuals and employees within the DOCCS correctional system.
The 2027 Executive Budget also includes new and continued funding to support the “Recover, Recruit, and Rebuild” initiative:
- $400 million to accelerate and install fixed camera systems in all correctional facilities.
- $18 million for the body-worn camera program.
- $7.2 million to expand and restructure the Office of Special Investigations (OSI)
- $1.1 million to establish a dedicated body-worn camera FOIL processing unit to fulfill public records requests for footage.
- $35.8 million in capital funding to develop and implement a new electronic health records system for incarcerated individuals
- $3 million to expand the correction officer recruitment office.
- $150 million in continued funding for salary benefits and enhancements to support hiring and retention.
With the $535 million, spending on this mission is projected to exceed $1.2 billion for the 2027 Executive Budget
The president of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOBA) also testified. NYSCOBA James spokesman James Miller said:
“The unfortunate reality is the National Guard are needed to fill the over 4000 staffing positions that are currently unfilled. We outlined a strategic plan, which was sent to the Governor’s Office, to temporarily deploy the New York National Guard to stabilize staffing levels across DOCCS facilities. The goal is to alleviate the intense pressure on our current correctional officers, reduce safety risks, and create a sustainable path for recruitment and retention of permanent staff. The proposal included clear objectives, detailed provisions for implementation, and a framework for oversight to ensure accountability and effectiveness.”
