Eric Adams, New York City’s Mayor, and heads of the police departments blasted the state’s bail reform laws. This was amid an increase in arrests as well as a series of high-profile attacks against law enforcement.
Adams was joined by Keechant Sewell, Commissioner of the New York Police Department, for a Wednesday press conference at NYPD headquarters. She spoke about “the challenges we face in New York City every single day.”
“They say the definition of insanity is to do the same thing repeatedly, but expect different results”
This is about New Yorkers who are made to suffer in vain by recidivists. Sewell stated that recidivist criminals plan or take advantage of every opportunity to rob or burglarize New Yorkers each day. Their efforts are made easier by the fact that even after they have been arrested by the NYPD, the criminal justice system does not hold them accountable. Despite committing multiple crimes, these offenders are not subject to any repercussions.
According to the city’s top cop, crime victims are “continuing to rise.”
“Your NYPD officers talk to these victims. She continued, “We support them and proudly work for them with all our resources.” Justice is not available for many of these victims. Justice and fairness go hand-in-hand. The public service must work together for the benefit of all those we serve.
Sewell pointed out that New York is the only state that has a law that prohibits judges from taking into account a potential threat to public safety in making custody decisions.
She said, “That doesn’t serve the next innocent victim.” It doesn’t help our officers and it doesn’t improve our quality of life. We can and must do more.
Mayor Adams stressed that it was not a fight against those who see the need to reform the criminal justice system, but against those who exploit those reforms.
Adams stated that there are “four components to the criminal justice system: judges, police, prosecutors and lawmakers” and they must all “operate in harmony.”
According to him, NYPD arrests increased by more than 24% since Aug. 1. This year’s arrests were 109,000. That compares to the 87.794 arrests in the same period in 2021. He said that arrests for seven major crimes have increased by 29%.
He said that weapons arrests have reached a 27-year peak, while murders and shootings have declined for the year.
The mayor said that “what’s not working” was “the other three pieces.”
Adams stated that insanity can be defined as doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. Our criminal justice system is crazy. It’s dangerous, it’s damaging, and it’s destroying our city’s fabric. Our police officers are known for making arrests and the person arrested for assault, felonious attack, robberies, and gun possession ends up back on the streets within days, if not hours, after their arrest. They then go on to commit additional crimes in the weeks or days that follow.
He acknowledged the need for reforms and added that this was not an attack. However, he said that it was about a small group of people who are using existing laws to endanger their city.
NYPD’s Chief of Crime Control Strategies Michael LiPetri said investigators have identified 716 people who are behind an estimated 30% of the roughly 2,400 shootings since 2021.
He said, “We know who they’re.”
He said that 54% of the 716 individuals — 385 people — have an open crime.
“That’s just 0.008% of New York City’s population that is responsible for 30% of all shootings in New York City during the past year and a half.”
