TESTIMONY OF THOMAS J. SCOTTO, PRESIDENT OF THE DETECTIVES
ENDOWMENT ASSOCIATION, INC.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
BEFORE THE UNTIED STATES
SENATE, COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT UNITED STATES CUSTOMS HOUSE BOWLING GREEN,
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
FEBRUARY 11, 2002
On behalf of all of the members of the NYC Police Department I wish to express our appreciation to this committee for affording us the opportunity to express our concerns regarding the aftermath of the tragic events of September 11, 2001.
Since that
date, members of the NYC Police Department have worked around the clock at the
World Trade Center and the Staten Island Landfill.
As such, they
have been exposed to a number of identifiable toxic substances and perhaps
100's of other combinations of these toxins that may never be identified
and the long-term health effects of which are still unknown.
The major concerns of police officers can be grouped into four categories.
1. The
development of a uniform procedure to provide physical exams over an extended
period of time to monitor the overall effects of their exposure to the elements
at Ground Zero and the Staten Island Landfill.
2. Assuring
essential and required medical treatment within the basic health coverage
provided by the City.
3. In
recognition of the fact that many of the illnesses which result from contact
with toxic substances can take in excess often (10) years to appear:
a) Revise the
current pension provisions to protect the families of those who retire and then
may suffer a debilitating and/or terminal illness as a result of their exposure
to Ground Zero and the Staten Island Landfill environment.
b) Revise the
current legal requirement which imposes an unrealistic time limit on ones
ability to commence an action against the City.