LHOTA: COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO VOTED FOR “COMMUNITY SAFETY ACT” PUT THE LIVES OF EVERY SINGLE NEW YORKER AT RISK

This cam e in from the Joe Lhota Camp.

Successes Combating Terrorism and Crime Will Unravel With These Bills  

Former deputy mayor and reform candidate Joe Lhota today blasted members of the City Council who voted in favor of the self-entitled “Community Safety Act”--a misnomer that in fact greatly threatens the safety of the City’s communities --for putting the lives of every single New Yorker at risk.  

 

The City Council earlier this morning passed two bills that will have a dramatic impact on the NYPD’s ability to fight crime and terrorism. The bills were brought to the floor following a controversial procedure that allowed them to bypass being approved by the Public Safety Committee, whose chairman has remained vociferously opposed to the measures.

“I can’t for the life of me imagine why the City Council would pass this reckless legislation and put the lives of every New Yorker at risk,” said Mr. Lhota. “These politicians are handcuffing law enforcement from being able to effectively fight crime. Our successes thwarting terrorism and bringing crime to record lows will unravel if these bills become law. I applaud Mayor Bloomberg for his intent to veto these bad bills and that’s where the process should end.”

The profiling bill would allow any individual who is subject to an action by a police officer to file a civil lawsuit against the city, the NYPD or the police officer. The legislation would open law enforcement to unreasonable sanctions by a judge and discourage police work out of fear of frivolous lawsuits.

The second bill would create an inspector general within the city Department of Investigation with subpoena power. It would prepare public reports on NYPD policy, including with the sensitive Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). Mr. Lhota noted the potential exposure of the JTTF’s work as a particularly troublesome in that the federal government could possibly withhold information from the NYPD that would put efforts to thwart potential terrorist attacks at risk if made public.