‘This Is What We’re Dealing With’

This time, a cop fell victim to New York’s dangerously lax approach to crime. Happily, Officer Dennis Vargas, shot in the arm Tuesday, survived. But far too many New Yorkers aren’t as lucky.

Police say perp Rakeem Smith, 25, fired at Vargas and his partner as they pursued him after spotting him with a weapon. Yet, as NYPD boss Keechant Sewell fumed, Smith was “a dangerous criminal who should not have been on the streets” in the first place.

Police nabbed him for gun possession in a 2020 fare-evasion stop, but the judge let him roam free, even after he pleaded guilty. And his nine priors included a 2016 conviction for robbery that brought him probation.

Yes, Smith had been diagnosed with psychological issues and was diverted to a mental-health program as part of his plea deal. Yet the system just doesn’t force such people to take their meds or confine them to hospitals when necessary.

Shooters “are back on the streets” in no time, “just like this person,” seethed Mayor Adams. “The same criminals are continuing to come out in our streets committing violence over and over again.”

The bleeding hearts did Smith no favors by setting him free: The cops chasing him returned fire, hitting him in the head; he died Wednesday.

The shooting was precisely why Adams has pushed to bolster the state’s bail laws: “This is what we’re dealing with,” he charged, terming the situation “despicable.”

Indeed. Gov. Hochul and the Legislature just made token tweaks to the laws but refuse to take truly meaningful steps to end the mayhem. No wonder major crimes through May 8 are up 41% this year.

Until Hochul, lawmakers and the DAs and judges that are supposed to enforce the law get serious, New Yorkers must keep fearing for their safety — cops included.