Whose side are they on anyway?

Whose side are they on anyway?
By: Lt. Patrick J. Ciser (Ret.)

Why would politicians make laws that leave us less safe? It’s mind-boggling to think of a nation with leaders who would, ostensibly, stand up for the rights of criminals over the rights of their victims and future victims. And that’s exactly what bail reform and Sanctuary City laws are doing. Law and order is something we should all be concerned with for the safety of our families and communities, regardless of party affiliation. Juxtapose these new laws with the get-tough policies of the Clinton administration in the 1990s, which absolutely cut down on crime. “Three strikes” policies were a great concept but admittedly should have been enforced on a case-by-case basis while looking at the severity of the crimes committed. Over the years, some politicians have been horrified over the staggering numbers of the United States prison population, while I on the other hand, saw it as a good thing. To this day, many law enforcement officials in NYC claim that approximately 5,000 repetitive criminals are responsible for most of the serious crime in the five boroughs. In theory, if we locked up all 5,000 and gave them stiffer sentences, all of the good people in New York City would benefit, and tourism would increase. The misguided mayor of NYC, however, who the NYPD Sergeants Union just declared “war” on by the way, believes that closing Rikers Island, releasing perps without bail, and declaring NYC a Sanctuary City is the answer. And to make things worse, New York State Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo agrees! Some argue about the cost of housing so many prisoners, but I would argue, what’s the cost to our communities if we release them?

During the crack epidemic in the ‘80s and into the early ‘90s, crime was extremely high, and something needed to be done. In April 1994, the New York City Police Department, with the support of “tough on crime” Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani, developed a plan to decrease crime to historic lows. This strategy/plan would serve as a model for other agencies across the country. Commissioner Bill Bratton, Jack Maple and Louis Anemone researched and developed “CompStat” (Compare Statistics). This, coupled with “Broken Windows Theory,” drastically reduced crime rates and increased incarceration rates, making New York City the safest big city in America. Crime dropped in all categories, but most striking was the murder rate. In 1993 NYC had 1,946 homicides, while in the year 2000, it had only 673. Make NO MISTAKE! It was a “tough on crime” attitude and polices that supported proactive police work that got the job done.

Today however, because of the political climate, some have shifted to sympathizing with the predators rather than the prey. There are two kinds of cops; the ones that attack crime, and unfortunately, the ones who wanna stay out of trouble. The latter are usually the ones who suck up to the politicians who promote them to their next rank. I’ll NEVER understand how any reputable sheriff or police chief can support Sanctuary policies! When you allow a felon to avoid an ICE “hold” or warrant, it only puts the people that he preyed upon and others in more danger. It also puts the cops in danger who now have to track him down. It’s NOT rocket science! Turn an unarmed ex-con over to federal authorities in a controlled environment, or take the chance of force, or deadly force, used against those that try to bring him in later. Not to mention the innocent bystanders that are at risk as well.

Some sheriffs are fighting back while standing by the Constitution and their oath of office. Most striking is Orange County California Sheriff Don Barnes, who’s in, ostensibly, our most unrepentant Sanctuary State.  He’s taking a stand against California Senate Bill 54, which is known as California Values Act. Isn’t it nice that politicians always come up with these flowery or benign names for bills that are nothing of a kind? I mean, who wouldn’t vote for a “Values” Act? Here is a quote from this level-headed sheriff: “Rather than protect our immigrant community, the law has enabled offenders to be released, often times back into the immigrant communities they prey upon, and create new victims.” Statistics show that Orange County alone has released 2,121 inmates from jail, who should have been held on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers in 2018 and 2019. As a result, 411 of those released have been re-arrested for additional crimes, including rape, assault with a deadly weapon, child sex offenses and domestic violence. The insane are now running the asylum. ☹

Credits; Some excerpts taken from an internet article by Mitch McKinley (Feb. 6th, 2020)