The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Sheriff Hood grateful for Griffo’s help with law enforcement
WAMPSVILLE, N. Y. >> Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood is grateful for efforts by New York State Senator Joseph Griffo to help aid law enforcement. Those efforts include additional funding for prisoner treatment and further discussions on bail reform, areas Hood feels are crucial to effective and fair law enforcement in the county and statewide.
In a recent letter, Griffo, R-c-rome, urged Gov. Kathy Hochul to consider a new initiative that he has proposed that would provide additional resources to law enforcement agencies and enhance public safety in New York.
The initiative would provide a $100 million allocation, $80 million for additional police officers and $20 million for equipment, to law enforcement agencies each year for the next three years.
“Like so many others, I remain concerned with the increase in crime in New York State. It is imperative that we seek out ways to enhance public safety for New Yorkers,” Griffo said. “It is my belief that this threeyear commitment will have a limited financial impact on the state and will ensure that law enforcement agencies have the resources that they need to address public safety concerns.”
Griffo also urged further discussions on what many feel are flawed bail reform laws.
New York passed the sweeping bail reform law in 2019, prohibiting cash bail except for serious misdemeanors and felonies. The desired effect was to reduce the number of people in jail awaiting trial because they could not afford to post bail.
State judges are no longer able to set bail for a wide-ranging list of misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies. They can not hold defendants based on their perceived threat, and may only use minimal means to ensure defendants return to court.
On Sept. 22 the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services released data showing an increase of re-arrest, among those arrested and released without having to pay bail, had nearly tripled from 2019 through 2021.
“I think it’s great,” Hood said. “Anything to improve the situation will be a help. Anything to allow officers to take people into custody when needed, to keep people safe. whatever they can do. We all wanted it fast but it didn’t happen. It’s been a few years obviously not working, talk to any cop in this state. Griffo’s help is greatly appreciated.”
“We need to review that legislation to keep people safe,” Hood continued. “Sometimes people simply have to go to jail. They need time to calm down, to stop being a threat to themselves or others. They need help.”
Hood said the funding could help with prisoner treatment and also officer recruitment.
“Prisoners will get on meds like anti-psychotics that cost between threeand five thousand dollars per dose. That’s per a monthly dose,” Hood said. “This funding is imperative. Our reentry program is robust for them. Sometimes they have
no insurance and so can not afford shots to get them off of opioids and return to normalcy. They simply go right back into the life because they have no money and they have nowhere to go to get help.”
The money would help local recruitment. In Madison County is short of 13 corrections officers whom would ideally man the jail. In November the county launched an online application process and has approved a 15 percent wage increase to attract more recruits.
“It’s still a bit slow but it’s better than before,” Hood said. “We won’t solve the problem all at once but there is light at the end of the tunnel. We’ve been recruiting online and talking to more candidates quicker. Every year we lose officers to agencies like the state police. It’s like the corporate world, where people leave a job for another. The problem can be with replacing those officers we’ve lost. That’s a lot of money to throw at a problem, but you would think it would help with recruitment at some point.”
The county department includes 56 corrections officers and 50 deputies on road patrol.
Griffo also announced that he would be participating in a ride-along with the New York State Police in Herkimer County to have a first-hand account and experience of what law enforcement faces on a regular basis in our communities. The senator also plans to join the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the Rome and Utica police departments for future ride-along.
The ride-along comes after Sen. Griffo convened a meeting of state and local law enforcement representatives and area officials to discuss methods and techniques to address crime concerns and gun violence in communities across the state.
“Throughout my time in office, I have gone on ridealongs with law enforcement agencies,” Sen. Griffo said. “These have always provided me with an important opportunity to see what the men and women in law enforcement encounter and deal with on a daily basis”
Hood said Griffo’s ridealongs show his support of police efforts.
“I’m very pleased,” he said. “Very few people in leadership have ever been on a ride-along. It’s a snapshot to help them understand how difficult the job can be. Griffo is doing a great job. I support him one hundred percent. He knows what police are going through and he supports law enforcement.”
Sen. Griffo expressed his appreciation to Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood, Rome Mayor Jacqueline Izzo, Rome Police Chief David Collins, Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri, Utica Police Chief Mark Williams and Capt. Jason Place and the New York State Police for their cooperation and assistance in facilitating this initiative.