Barclay: New York Is Less Safe Than It Was Two Years Ago

Statement from Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay

“New York is less safe than it was two years ago, and violence is plaguing our streets. Far too often we’ve heard and seen the horrific stories of innocent bystanders being attacked, police officers shot and killed and residents being terrorized in their own communities.

The reality is, the Democrat Majorities created and continue to enable a system that emboldens and protects criminals. While their ‘reforms’ may have been well-intentioned, they used a hatchet when they needed a scalpel and have subsequently turned the criminal justice system on its head. The fact remains, Democrats’ dangerous and misguided policies continue to erode public safety, particularly in underserved communities.

Elected officials from across the state, law enforcement, criminal justice professionals, crime victims and New York City Mayor Eric Adams have all recognized these short-sighted reforms need to be rolled back further.

I’ve repeatedly said a drastic overhaul of the policies and procedures governing our criminal justice system is long-past due and we must reexamine the elements of violent crime plaguing our streets. It is incumbent upon the Legislature and governor to protect every single New Yorker. We cannot afford to stand idly by with these current policies in place; people’s lives are at stake.”

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