Restore Public Safety Now

ALBANY, NY – State Senator Peter Oberacker (R/C-Schenevus) joined the Senate and Assembly Republican conferences this week to unveil a comprehensive package of public safety priorities. The initiatives will protect crime victims, support law enforcement and correctional officers, and reform the state’s broken parole system.

“Violent crime is on the rise across the state,” said Senator Oberacker. “Bail reform along with other pro-criminal initiatives enacted in recent years are the culprits.  Since the poorly conceived legislation was enacted, thousands of individuals have been arrested, released, and rearrested on violent charges. It’s time to slam shut the revolving door for criminals.”

Some of the public safety challenges New York is facing include:

• A 46.7% increase in murders from 2019 to 2020;
• Overall index crime in New York City increased by 21.3% in November 2021, compared with November 2020;
• Hate crime rates in NYC increased 97% from November 2020 to November 2021; 
• Firearm related violent crime increased by 28.9% from 2019 to 2020 in New York outside of New York City; and
• According to the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, New York has the highest demand for domestic violence services in the country.

For years, Republicans successfully led the fight to support and fund law enforcement, as well as enact landmark, tough-on-crime policies such as Megan’s Law, Kendra’s Law and many others designed to toughen penalties for violent criminals and sex offenders – and to provide services to those in need.

The Republicans’ 2022 agenda to restore public safety includes:

• 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:
  • Recenter 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.

“Protecting the public is one of the most important responsibilities of government, and when a crime has been committed, the victim, not the criminal, should be our first concern.  Throughout this legislative session I will standing up for changes to much needed public safety reforms,” concluded Senator Oberacker.