District Manager Hid Arrests From Community Board Members For A Year, They Say

COBBLE HILL, BROOKLYN — Craig Hammerman, Community Board 6's district manager for more than 20 years, failed to reveal he'd been arrested three times in the past two years, members told Patch.

Hammerman was arrested in late March for stalking his ex-girlfriend and again in early April for violating a restraining order she took out against him. He was also arrested in 2016, but the details surrounding that incident are sealed because the charges were eventually dropped, the NYPD said.

Two board members, who did not wish to be named, told Patch they had no idea Hammerman had been arrested until reading news reports about it nearly a month ago. News of the 2016 arrest was particularly surprising to board members because Hammerman kept it a secret for several months.

Hammerman, who was due in court Tuesday for a scheduling hearing, did not return a phone message left by Patch at the CB6 office. His attorney, Joyce David, did not return multiple phone calls from Patch on Monday and Tuesday. David has called his ex-girlfriend's claims "absolutely not true."

Update: Patch spoke with David Wednesday morning, and she said Hammerman is due back in court on June 9. She said she couldn't speak to whether Hammerman notified the board about his arrests.

"No. I have no information at all. I’m not handling that," she told Patch. "My understanding from the (board's) statement is that it’s being reviewed by whoever is supposed to review it and they’ll make a determination."

She said she doesn't "think there’s going to be anything to handle" about his position with the board. "I certainly didn’t see the rules for example of what one does or doesn’t do. I’m not sure what they say so I’m certainly not in a position to comment," David said.

CB6 Chair Sayar Lonial wouldn't confirm that Hammerman didn't tell the board — which advises elected officials about community issues in Central Brooklyn, from Red Hook and the Columbia Waterfront over to Park Slope — about his arrests.

Lonial wrote in an email to Patch that the board's personnel committee is determining "the best path forward" with respect to Hammerman and that the committee's meetings are not open to the public because they deal with personnel matters.

Mike Racioppo, CB6’s vice chair, declined to comment when reached by Patch on Tuesday afternoon.

The city's law department is also reviewing Hammerman's case.

SEE ALSO:

• Brooklyn Community Board Manager Used Ex's Uber Account To Stalk, Harass Her: DA
• Community Board Manager Remains In Post After Stalking Allegations
• City Law Department, Community Board 6 'Reviewing' District Manager Charged With Stalking Ex

Image: Patch file photo