Hochul and State Legislature should repeal bail reform, protect our communities

Editor:

The national homicide rate approached a 25-year high in 2021.

346 law enforcement officers shot in 2021.

115% increase in ambush-style shootings of law enforcement officers in 2021.

These numbers are the face of the nationwide crime crisis putting every American at risk. Politicians around the country, especially in areas hardest hit, are starting to play the blame game. But the fact of the matter is irresponsible anti-police rhetoric, the defund the police movement, and New York’s reckless bail reform laws championed by elected Democrats and activists have been a windfall to criminals and contributed to the surge in violence we are seeing now.

Especially here in New York, nearly 100,000 individuals have been released under this flawed bail reform program. How many more stories do we need of someone being released without bail only to go back out and commit another violent crime within hours? How many more people need to be injured and terrorized by a criminal who should be behind bars before the Democrats in charge of this state wake up and realize this misguided idea pushed by the radical left has put the communities they serve at the mercy of violent criminals?

As a former state senator who fought this reckless law, I have seen firsthand how dangerous this policy truly is; and that is why I am working in my federal capacity to protect the communities partisan state lawmakers have chosen to neglect.

Last year, I became a cosponsor of the SERVE Act. This legislation would make federal incentives available to states who give their judges the responsibility to determine what danger a defendant poses when making bail or pretrial determinations.

With recent attacks on police and crime surges weighing heavily on the minds of every New Yorker, it is time for the Governor to swiftly repeal this reckless law and put the people of this state ahead of her party’s political gamesmanship.

Along with my Republican colleagues in New York’s congressional delegation, I recently sent a letter to the Governor reminding her of the dangerous impact bail reform has had and the solutions we have offered in our proposed legislation to help combat crime levels and support our officers.

New Yorkers have suffered under lawlessness fostered by Democrats for far too long. It is reprehensible that the legislature will not admit the failure of this law and repeal so-called “bail reform.”

I call on the New York State Legislature to repeal these policies immediately and for Congress to pass legislation like the SERVE Act to better support our law enforcement officers and the safety of our communities.

Congressman Chris Jacobs, NY-27

Orchard Park