O'Mara joins Senate and Assembly GOP, law enforcement to push public safety agenda: Seek to counter pro-criminal, anti-police policies being enacted by Albany Democrats - The New York State Senate

It’s clear to most reasonable New Yorkers that rising crime and violence, and weakened public safety and security, are the result of the pro-criminal policies being enacted and pushed by this governor and a State Legislature under one-party control.

Albany, N.Y., March 28—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats) today joined members of the Senate and Assembly Republican conferences, and law enforcement, to renew their calls for a comprehensive package of public safety priorities aimed at protecting crime victims, law enforcement and correctional officers, and communities across the region and state from dangerous pro-criminal, anti-police actions being enacted in Albany.

At a Capitol news conference earlier today, Senate and Assembly Republican legislators urged Governor Kathy Hochul and the Legislature’s Democrat majorities to reverse pro-criminal policies like bail reform and strengthen New York’s response to violent crime in the upcoming 2022-2023 state budget.

O'Mara, a member on the Senate Codes and Judiciary committees, said, “We again stand with law enforcement, speak out, and fight against the pro-criminal mentality and anti-police policies that keep going too far in New York State. The Democrat supermajorities in control of the State Legislature show no signs of letting up in their push for a so-called progressive agenda that only stands to embolden criminals and keep making this state, our communities, and our neighborhoods less safe. It has been alarming to district attorneys, law enforcement officers, and criminal justice experts alike. We need to enact legislation that puts crime victims, law enforcement, and safe communities first and begins restoring responsibility, sanity, and common sense to criminal justice and public safety in New York State.”

The rise of violent crimes in cities and communities throughout New York follows an overall pro-criminal, anti-police climate fostered under all-Democrat rule, the Republican lawmakers said.

The GOP agenda continues their push throughout the past two years to strengthen protections for crime victims and their families, law enforcement and first responders, correctional officers, and safe communities.

The overriding goals of the GOP agenda call for:

• Protecting Those Who Protect Us:

  • Invest in law enforcement;
  • Provide them with the support they need to make our communities safe and serve those in need; and
  • Fight Democrat efforts to “Defund the Police.”

• Rejecting Dangerous “Reforms” like Cashless Bail:

  • End cashless bail, restore judicial discretion and reject proposals like “Clean Slate”;
  • Require state agencies to be transparent about the effects of public safety policies; and
  • Enact policies that get dangerous individuals off our streets.

• Reforming the Broken Parole System:

  • Re-center the Parole process around the protection and rights of crime victims and their families;
  • Ensure that cop killers, serial killers, child killers, and other dangerous murderers can NEVER be released; and
  • Reject dangerous Democrat proposals like “Elder Parole” and “Fair and Timely Parole.”

• Passing a Victims’ Justice Agenda:

  • Strengthen penalties for violent and repeat offenders, as well as hate crimes;
  • Create and support more victims’ services and resources; and
  • Invest in proven mental health, addiction, and homeless programs.

O’Mara said, “It’s clear to most reasonable New Yorkers that rising crime and violence, and weakened public safety and security, are the result of the pro-criminal policies being enacted and pushed by this governor and a State Legislature under one-party control. They have emboldened the criminal element throughout this state through failed bail reform, lenient parole policies, an out-of-control Parole Board, cowing to the ‘defund the police’ movement, and an overall careless approach to criminal justice.”

“The transformative changes from the 2019 budget are not working as intended. We are not saying we need to completely undo these laws, but we do need to find ways to fix them. AND we must do it now, which means this budget cycle. We all know that some unintended consequences of our current bail, discovery and Raise the Age laws have allowed dangerous criminals to take advantage of those new laws and has contributed to an uptick in violent crimes and crimes against property, ALL leading to a loss of a sense of safety and security in our communities. If courts cannot consider the reality that certain defendants pose a risk to public safety, then courts are not serving public justice or public safety. A sensible balance between the rights of defendants and public safety is possible. Like all new laws adjustments prudently need to be made to ensure the intended outcome,” said Washington County District Attorney J. Anthony Jordan, President of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York.

“Sheriffs have been stalwart in their opinion on bail reform. The original bail reform initiative, while well-intentioned, was a drastic overcorrection, and for the past several years we have been dealing with the fallout. It is past time that New York joins nearly every other state in the nation, as well as the federal judiciary, in allowing judges to consider a defendant’s risk to public safety when considering bail or remand. Sheriffs believe this simple change will alleviate many of the problems we are seeing today,”said Kevin Mulverhill, Franklin County Sheriff and 1st Vice President NYS Sheriff’s Association.

source: https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/articles/2022/thomas-f-omara/omara-joins-senate-and-assembly-gop-law-enforcement-push

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