City Law Department, Community Board 6 'Reviewing' District Manager Charged With Stalking Ex

COBBLE HILL, BROOKLYN — The New York City Law Department and Community Board 6 are "reviewing" the conduct of the board's long-time district manager, Craig Hammerman, after he was arrested twice and charged with stalking and harassing his ex-girlfriend, the board's chairman said.

The chairman, Sayar Lonial, made the announcement at CB6's general board meeting Wednesday night, which Hammerman attended in his regular capacity as the board's district manager.

CB6 covers most of Central Brooklyn from Red Hook through Park Slope. Hammerman has held the post of district manager for more than 20 years.

"I think we all saw or read or heard about the article involving our district manager this past Monday," Lonial said at the start of Wednesday night's meeting. "I want to stress that we must respect the legal process, and that states that everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

"Upon the advice of several people, I have personally reached out to the city law department, which is reviewing the issue and hopefully will provide us with the legal guidance for the situation. Additionally, I've asked the chair of the board's finance, personnel and law committee, which is solely made up of full board members, to convene the committee to look into this situation."

Lonial then moved on to the rest of the board's agenda, which included voting on liquor licenses, reviewing landmarked property and hearing from elected officials and their representatives.

Hammerman fully participated in the meeting and gave a three-and-a-half minute update at the meeting's start about a race coming to Red Hook, possible tolls on the Verrazano–Narrows Bridge and the results of a routine city audit of the board ("completely in compliance," he was proud to announce).

Hammerman did not address the allegations himself. When approached by Patch after the meeting, he declined to comment and referred Patch to his attorney, Joyce David.

David sat in the fourth row for most of the meeting and left near the end of it.

A spokesman for the city's law department confirmed to Patch on Thursday that it is reviewing the situation.

Complaints filed by the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office say that Hammerman used his ex-girlfriend's Uber account to follow her to a Bed-Stuy hotel in late March, then made phone calls to the front desk using fake identities to try to speak to her.

On Friday, he violated a restraining order when he sat down next to her at a Park Slope bar and told her he was following her for her "safety," according to the complaints.

Hammerman was arrested after both incidents. David, his attorney, has said the claims are "absolutely not true." She has alleged that the ex-girlfriend "set him up" by going to a bar that Hammerman frequents when she knew there was a restraining order.

Multiple board members declined to comment on the situation when asked by Patch after the meeting.

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
  

Image via Marc Torrence, Patch