NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell despatched an e-mail to cops concerning their security after Manhattan's new district legal professional mentioned he would downgrade sure fees.
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NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell despatched an e-mail to cops on Friday saying she’s “involved” for his or her security in gentle of the progressive insurance policies introduced this week by the brand new Manhattan district legal professional that some see as delicate on crime.
“I've studied these insurance policies and I'm very involved in regards to the implications to your security as law enforcement officials, the security of the general public and justice for the victims,” Sewell wrote within the e-mail obtained by The Submit.
“I'm making my considerations recognized to the Manhattan District Legal professional and hope to have frank and productive discussions to attempt to attain extra frequent floor.”
District Legal professional Alvin Bragg, in his first memo issued Monday, instructed his employees to cease prosecuting many low-level offenses, to hunt diminished fees for sure crimes and to not ask for bail besides in probably the most critical instances.
Sewell, who additionally just lately began in her position after being appointed by new Mayor Eric Adams, mentioned the progressive method will erode high quality of life within the metropolis, and sends a message to law enforcement officials that they don't seem to be protected.
Her message diverges from that of Adams, who has stood by Bragg amid outrage over his method.
Requested on Wednesday in regards to the DA’s coverage to not go after smaller offenses, Adams advised reporters: “I do know DA Bragg. I respect him, he’s an incredible prosecutor.”
In her e-mail to all uniformed members of the division, Sewell mentioned she had already raised some points with Bragg, together with his refusal to prosecute resisting arrest fees until they're half of a bigger, felony case.
That call “will invite violence towards law enforcement officials and may have deleterious results on our relationship with the communities we shield,” Sewell wrote.
The highest cop additionally raised considerations in regards to the new insurance policies downgrading felonies to misdemeanors in sure instances.
As an example, Bragg’s memo states that suspects initially charged with armed theft of a retailer would get hit with petit larceny as an alternative, misdemeanor, supplied no victims had been critically injured and there was no “real threat of bodily hurt.” The DA’s Workplace clarified on Wednesday that it might nonetheless prosecute armed robberies involving a gun as a felony.
Sewell mentioned that classifying gunpoint robberies in companies as misdemeanors as an alternative of felonies endangers cops and is dangerous for enterprise homeowners, who're reeling from elevated theft.
“Business institutions have endured a lot throughout this pandemic and metropolis authorities ought to do no matter it could actually to make sure they take part and thrive within the Metropolis’s ongoing restoration effort,” she wrote.
Downgrading drug dealing fees “will invite extra open-air drug markets and drug use in Manhattan,” and result in extra gun violence as sellers beef over territory, she argued.
Bragg’s insurance policies will exacerbate high quality of life considerations, which have surged 59 % since 2019, primarily based on complaints to 311, Sewell claimed.
“The brand new charging insurance policies of the Manhattan District Legal professional successfully decriminalizes a lot of the conduct that New Yorkers are asking the police to handle,” the highest cop wrote.
Sewell additionally raised concern over Bragg’s said intention to considerably cut back pretrial detention, reserving it just for “very critical instances.”
“Along with gun possession, I'm involved that pretrial incarceration will now not be looked for fees equivalent to terrorism, legal sale of a firearm, gun-point robberies … and different critical violent felonies that put the security of the general public and the law enforcement officials who've sworn to guard and serve at nice threat,” she wrote.
Sewell advised members of the nation’s largest police division she believes “in legal justice reform,” however argued that the NYPD has already been serving to to cut back incarceration an arrests by pursuing “group primarily based options.”
“I imagine in reform that make sense when utilized collaboratively,” Sewell advised cops. “In that very same vein, I'm involved about sweeping edicts that appear to take away discretion, not simply from law enforcement officials, but in addition from Assistant District Attorneys concerning what crimes to prosecute and learn how to cost them.”
The commissioner mentioned she could be looking for to talk with Bragg additional “to hunt a greater stability between officer security, public security and reform” — however within the meantime instructed cops “to do your jobs primarily based in your coaching, course by supervisors and implement the legislation.”
Whereas some public defenders, together with the Authorized Assist Society, welcomed Bragg’s modifications, police union leaders have warned the insurance policies would solely result in extra crime.
The pinnacle of the NYPD’s largest union, the Police Benevolent Affiliation, additionally expressed “critical considerations in regards to the message a majority of these insurance policies ship to each law enforcement officials and criminals on the road.”
“Cops don’t need to be despatched out to implement legal guidelines that the district attorneys gained’t prosecute,” PBA president Patrick Lynch mentioned.
In an announcement to The Submit Saturday, Bragg mentioned “security is paramount for our workplace,” and a dialogue with police had already began and was finest carried out “not by the media.”
“We share Commissioner Sewell’s name for frank and productive discussions to achieve frequent floor on our shared mission to ship security and justice for all and sit up for the chance to clear up some misunderstandings,” he mentioned.
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