Assemblyman Matt Slater (R,C-Yorktown) attended a press conference this afternoon with Senate and Assembly Republicans calling out the disgraceful and persistent release of cop killers by the New York State parole board.
Yesterday morning, Officer Christopher Abreu and Officer Richard Yarusso were shot at by an illegal migrant. This wasn’t a freak accident, this was the direct effect of what Gov. Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams have caused. Luckily, both officers are alive.
Regrettably, the surge in crime plaguing New York is not a new issue as over the last seven years, the state parole board has released 41 criminals convicted of murdering police officers. Officers like Jonathan Diller and Edward Byrne, who fell victim to New York’s soft-on-crime policies, serve as a reminder and motive to correct these failed policies.
Working together with law enforcement and colleagues from the Republican conference, Slater has authored a proposal that would impose a sentence of life imprisonment without parole for murder in the first degree involving the killing of a police officer or any first responder (A.5747).
“I’ve said it before and I will say it every day until something is done; if you kill a police officer, you should never see the light of day again. It’s really that simple,” said Slater. “What kind of message are we sending otherwise? Enough is enough and it’s past due that we end senseless violence with life-saving proposals on public safety.”
“It is deeply concerning and unacceptable that the New York State Board of Parole has repeatedly granted parole to individuals who have committed the heinous crime of killing a police officer. Their decisions wholly disregard the sacrifices made by law enforcement and their families. This sets a terrible precedent for New York and undermines the safety of our communities and trust in our justice system. Our Conference has been in full support of legislation that would strengthen oversight of the parole board and mandate life without parole for the murder of a police officer, which Democrats have inexcusably ignored. Furthermore, we demand the parole board re-evaluate their decision-making process and prioritize public safety,” stated Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R,C-Pulaski).
“Law-abiding New Yorkers and the police officers who protect them have been disregarded and disrespected by Democrats who have used their monopoly on power in Albany to create a state of lawlessness and pain,” blasted Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt. “The families of Officers Dwyer and Whittington and too many others like them have suffered every single day for decades knowing their loved one is gone, then they are made to relive the pain every time these monsters come up for parole. They sadly know full well that members of the parole board who support their release will be praised by some of the very people whose job it is to make laws. It is a demented state of affairs, and anybody with morals low enough to set a cop killer free has no business serving on the parole board.”
“The majority of legislators seem to have a tolerance for criminals that my constituency and I don’t understand. Career criminals and cop killers are coddled while law enforcement is thrown to the side, this can be seen in the massive amount of cop killers who, for some reason, have been let out by the parole board. Forty-one cop killers in New York state have been released since 2017. This is madness, there is no place in civilized society for those who harm police officers. Changes must be made so cop killers are kept behind bars where they belong and are not roaming our streets,” said Assemblyman Joe Angelino.
Click here for a video of Assemblyman Matt Slater
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