On October 17, 2019, New York City’s second largest law enforcement union, the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association (COBA), held its 23rd Annual Widows’ & Children’s Fund Awards Dinner Dance at Villa Barone Manor in The Bronx.
The event was organized by COBA Corresponding Secretary Kenyatta Johnson. The list of Honorees was very impressive.
One of our very own Guyanese-born Officers, Raishamraj Persaud, was honored with the “Dedication & Commitment Award.” He is the current President of the NYCD Desi Society. This organization was instrumental in getting the street renamed after NYCD Jonathan Narain who was gun down in cold blood in Richmond Hill in a road rage incident.
Officer Raishamraj Persaud was born in Guyana, South America. He migrated to America in 1973 with his family, where he continued his education in high school and later at Hawthorne College in New Hampshire, where he studied Aeronautics from 1981 to 1983. He obtained his Solo Flight Certification while there.
He owned and operated his own transportation business from 1987 until now, called Ray’s Transport Services Inc. while working full time for Tel-A-Car as a LLC driver from 1985-1991. After that, he became the LLC Dispatcher at Tel-A-Car from 1991-2015. He then advanced to the LLC Senior sales representative from 2005-2009.
When the recession hit in 2009, he was forced to make a career change, which is when he joined the NYC Department of Corrections, as a Correction Offer. He was working with inmates from 2010 to 2013 at GMDC, and then he moved to Transportation, where he obtained his CDL license. He transported inmates to and from court from 2013-2017. In 2017, he began a new journey with the Environmental Health Unit (EHU).
Officer Persaud is married to his loving wife, Jeany Persaud, for 34 years and has 4 children. He has 3 boys, Jeremy, Jonathan, and Eric, and one girl, Nikki. He recently completed his 10 years of service and is looking forward to his next 10 years. He currently serves on the NYCD Desi Society board, which he has been a member of for the past 4 years, providing unlimited support, commitment and dedication to the community and fellow members. He now serves as the President of the NYCD Desi Society.
The COBA Widows’ and Children’s Fund was formed twenty-three years ago to help support, during Thanksgiving and the holiday season, the spouses and children of Correction Officers, who died while on active duty.
Over the years, the fund has raised over $1 million, which has helped care for over 60 families of New York City’s Boldest. Each year, The COBA Widows’ and Children’s Fund Awards Dinner also recognizes and salutes the outstanding individuals who have worked diligently to advance and support the interests of New York City Correction Officers.
COBA President Elias Husamudeen also accepted a $10,000 donation to the COBA Widows’ & Children’s Fund from NYC DOC Commissioner Cynthia Brann and $100.00 from AACEAINC (www.aaceainc.com).
The COBA 2019 23rd Annual Widows’ & Children’s Fund prestigious Awards were given to the following recipients:
President Award – Charles Billups; Retiree of the year – Norman Arno; Warden of the year – Kisa Smalls (AMKC); ADW of the year – Tyrone Carter (GRVC); Officer of the year – Paul Jefferson (HQ); Rising Star – Khalilah Perrino (RMSC); Captain of the year- Stephen Cumberbatch (QDC); Dedication & Commitment awards; CO Raishamraj Persaud (EHU); CO Ryan Gunning (FSU); CO Andrea Marsh (EMTC); CO Suzeth Orr (BKDC); CO Shane Sterling (OBCC); CO Stephanie Oyola (RMSC); Special Recognition Awards; Captain Carlos Blackwood (HMD); Captain Sauda Abdul Malik (CA); Captain Janine MItton (HQ); Above & Beyond Awards; The Fealgood Foundation; The Disaster Relief Team; The Care Team; Special Acknowledgement Awards: Eric Adams (Brooklyn Borough President) and Robert f. Holder (City Councilman)
