Albany, NY – In response to Eric Adams’ recent comments on bail rollbacks and policing, Stanley Fritz, Political Director of Citizen Action of New York issued the following statement:
New Yorkers have a right to feel safe in their communities. When tragic events like the shooting in Harlem occur, it shows that the current system isn’t working. Throwing money to police departments, and criminalizing the poor will not stop senseless gun violence. Stopping the flow of illegal guns, and addressing the root causes are our only way out. That means making substantial investments into homeless and mental health services, putting a stop to the mass evictions happening across the state, and supporting policies that will address the ever growing poverty that is wreaking havoc on our neighborhoods.
New York State legislative leaders are right: there is no need to relitigate the pre-trial laws. The further criminalization of Black, Brown and poor people only causes further harm to our communities. We envision a world that recognizes the inherent dignity of every person while ensuring that families and communities can stay together, and we are looking forward to working with our elected leaders, including Mayor Eric Adams, to ensure that we can achieve this goal.