Legislature passes on police-support bills
A Republican state senator says his push for police-support bills has been thwarted by Democrats.
A Republican state senator says his push for police-support bills known as “Protect Those Who Project Us” has been thwarted by Democrats.
Sen. James Seward, RMilford, says Senate Republicans had attempted to advance a package of bills
“in support of our police.”
The bills, Seward said, were endorsed by the New York State Sheriff’s Association.
“Unfortunately, the Senate Democrats voted unanimously against the bills and blocked them from coming to the floor,” Seward said in a statement. “Our police officers are dedicated, hardworking men and women, they take their oath to protect and serve to heart and are vital to keeping our communities safe.”
“The legislation I cosponsored would have made New York safer and the ‘no’ votes from Senate Democrats are unconscionable,” Seward said. “When police come under physical attack and nothing is done, it leaves all of us vulnerable.”
Senate Democrats took umbrage with the way Seward characterized the voting. In fact, Senate Majority Communications Director Michael Murphy said that it was all a political ploy not meant to advance anywhere.
“This was a divisive political stunt to send out a press release and not an actual attempt to pass a bill,” Murphy said in a statement. But Sen. Sue Serino, RHyde Park, felt similarly to Seward.
“Starting with last year’s disastrous bail reform measures, Albany has turned its back not only on law enforcement but on vulnerable victims time and time again,” Serino said in a statement. “We have a duty
to make public safety a top priority, and that starts by supporting those who selflessly sign up to serve and protect our communities. “
“Now more than ever, we need to set politics aside and work together to promote unity in our communities, and that starts by promoting peace, putting an end to the violence and supporting those who go above and beyond to support victims and protect our communities,” Serino said.
Among the package highlights are:
• Increasing the penalty for resisting arrest to a felony;
• Creating felony for failing to retreat, if an individual defies an order to move 25 feet while an officer is performing his or her duties;
• Creating a felony of aggravated harassment of a police or peace officer if an officer is struck by any substance or object including, but not limited to, bottles, rocks, bodily fluids, spittle, urine, seminal fluid, feces, flammable liquids or other noxious, hazardous or dangerous substances or objects;
• Making any crime committed against a police officer because of his or her status as a police officer a hate crime;
• Making it a felony to falsely accuse a police officer or peace officer of wrongdoing in the performance of his or her duties, and create a private right of civil action for the officer against the false accuser;
• Making it a felony to follow or surveil a police or peace officer for no legitimate purpose, whether
such officer is on or off duty, or to approach within one hundred yards of the private residence or place of lodging of a police officer, without the consent of said officer, for reasons related to the officer’s status or service as a police or peace officer, or for the purpose of intimidating the officer or the officer’s family;
• Providing a $500,000 benefit for police officers who are seriously disabled or die from injuries incurred in the line of duty; and
• Making Police Memorial Day on May 15 as a state holiday in honor of the more than 1500 police officers who have died in the line of duty in New York.