Exclusive | NYC courts facing bleak staffing crisis which union warns could spark powder keg of violence

Staffing at New York City courts has plummeted to “bleak” levels — potentially endangering judges, jurors and the public in what the union president called a “powder keg” situation.The New York State Court Officers Association says that up to 35% of posts are unfilled in the city and that applications have plummeted from over 110,000 a decade ago to only 28,000 in the most recent exam — a drop of over 70%.That translates to more violence, more officers out on injuries and less justice, as low officer staffing numbers means fewer courtrooms can operate at a time, the union and a longtime court officer said.Shawn Hobson, a recently retired officer, told The Post that unless something changes, the future of the city’s courthouses looks “bleak and very dangerous.”So many officers have left for other departments, Hobson said, that nobody takes a lunch break, and judges have to rush through their daily slates of cases since low staffing enables fewer courtrooms to operate at a time.The pressures from low staffing also means increased risk of errors in security screening, Hobson said, where they frequently confiscate weapons like knives, guns and, once, a hand grenade.New York State Court Officers Association president Pat Cullen, a sergeant with 25 years under his belt at Bronx Supreme Criminal Court, said the decimated staffing levels are especially dangerous in criminal courts because of frequent fights between people looking to settle scores or rough up officers.That violence can include slashings, stabbings and even shootings, putting judges, jurors, attorneys and others at risk.In January alone, court officers responded to a nearly fatal stabbing inside a Manhattan Criminal Court hallway.“Imagine if there were 10 or 15 fewer officers on that day — would he have died?” Cullen said.“If we don’t feel safe at work, how is the public supposed to feel safe?”Both the union head and the recently-retired longtime court officer blamed controversi...