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Dear New Yorkers,

Arrow Security, a Long Island security firm that staffed city migrant shelters, routinely billed taxpayers for full eight-hour shifts based on electronic records — many starting and ending at exactly the same time.

But daily time logs kept by staff show hundreds of entries in which guards recorded arrival times later than the shifts started or departure times before they ended.

Arrow Security has a $140 million contract with Health & Hospitals Corp. Last year, it began providing round-the-clock security at a dozen shelters, including the Candler Building shelter for men in Midtown.

The company’s invoices and logs for Candler, which houses hundreds of migrants, were recently obtained by the City Council's Committee on Oversight and Investigations and reviewed by THE CITY.

Council staff found a range of 3.5 to 12.5 hours billed above the actual hours worked. That came to between $120 and $425 per shift. With three shifts per day, the staff concluded "the total costs of these extra hours may be significant."

Councilmember Gale Brewer (D-Manhattan), chair of the committee, worries that the contradictory records raise questions about the integrity of Arrow's work at all 12 migrant shelters where it has been providing security.

Read more here about the security company that could be overcharging taxpayers.

Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Monday's Weather Rating: 6/10. A nice start, with warm temperatures and sunny skies. Humidity builds as the day goes on though, and we could see a few scattered storms later this afternoon and evening. The vibes are feeling a bit more uncomfortable out there today ...

Our Other Top Story

Anthony Jordan, a 63-year-old Rikers Island detainee who died in custody last week, was seen by a jail medical professional the day before his death — but he was sent back to his housing unit, according to a top city jail official familiar with the case. Within hours, Jordan was found “unresponsive” on the sixth floor inside the North Infirmary Command on Rikers and later pronounced dead at Astoria Hospital.

SPONSORED A Pet Brand Makes Global Impact   Small businesses are the backbone of local economies. When Brooklynites Jennifer Wong and Santos Agustin decided to start a handmade pet goods brand, their goal was to make sure the artisans they worked with were treated and paid well — but they never imagined they’d have a global reach.   With the help of JPMorganChase, Gone to the Dogs was able to gain the necessary tools needed scale and grow.   Read their story.

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Wednesday, Aug. 28: A meetup for urban gardeners facing climate change — and climate despair. Free from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at La Plaza Cultural in Manhattan. Friday, Aug. 30: A weekly Prospect Park Wellness Walk. Free from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., departs from the Audubon Center. Saturday, Aug. 31: A historic trolley tour of Green-Wood Cemetery, hosted by expert guides, from 1 to 3 p.m. Tickets are $25 for members, $30 for non-members.

THE KICKER: The number of Mister Softee trucks nationwide has declined over the decades. But there are still around 630 trucks operating this summer.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Monday.

Love,

THE CITY

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