OC Police Chiefs Call for Repeal of Bail Reform: Dangerous, onerous and fiscally disastrous
Reported by ShoreNews Network – Feb 15, 2017
TOMS RIVER-The Ocean County Association of Chiefs of Police called upon call upon Governor Christie, the New Jersey Legislature, the New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts and New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino to immediately suspend the use of the current public safety assessment computerized program that scores criminal defendants under New Jersey’s bail reform law.
The association, which represents the county’s municipal police chiefs also said the new system is, “Dangerous, onerous and fiscally disastrous to the taxpayers of this great state.”
RESOLUTION
Resolution
Whereas, The Ocean County Association of Chiefs of Police consists of the law enforcement chief executives from all the law enforcement agencies currently active in the Ocean County, and,
Whereas, It is the goal of this Organization to promote the welfare and mission of its members, their relative agencies and the general public, and,
Whereas, the voters of The State of New Jersey recently approved a state constitutional amendment that called for bail reform for low level indigent offenders, and,
Whereas, that amendment was implemented by a state legislative enactment which took effect on January 1, 2017 and for which a computer generated Public Safety Algorithm (PSA) was designated to assess the threat level of respective arrestees , and,
Whereas, the required usage of that modality thus far has been observed to involve long delays and often produces what appear to be highly inappropriate results regarding the relative threat level of these offenders, and,
Whereas, These delays and this extra work being placed on our systems without budgetary support requires reallocation of budgetary items that are already in too short of supply due to existing funding restrictions, and,
Whereas, Existing State Law requires enactments that impose a financial impact on Counties and Municipalities to be supported by a concomitant State funding initiative that does not appear to have been provided in this case, and,
Whereas, Officers being redeployed to these activities are not available to answer even emergency calls for service, and has resulted in slower response times and the suspension of discretionary police activities that support and improve the quality of life in those communities, and,
Whereas, Certain inappropriately low threat assessments have also led to the ill-advised release of offenders who traditionally have, and we believe should, be remanded to custody for the safety of the public, and,
Whereas, Many of these releases relate directly to offenses against special victims such as sexual offenses, offenses against children, domestic violence victims and senior citizens to name but a few, and,
Whereas, Certain protections for these special victims appear to have been completely disregarded by the PSA, those protections having been built into our laws over the course of decades and often the result of collective tragedies, and,
Whereas, NJ Court officials announced yesterday that in those cases where incarceration is indicated under the PSA, extensive discovery must be provided to the defendant almost immediately further increasing the burden of this initiative and demanding additional staffing that currently does not and will not exist, and,
Whereas, in other cases, such as serial shoplifters, it is our understanding that inappropriately high threat levels have been observed, due again to data given inappropriate weight by the PSA and causing additional systemic work and incarceration senselessly for subjects who would have otherwise been released, and,
Now heretofore, be it resolved on this the eighth day of February, 2017, The members of this Association support the State mandate, State pay litigation initiated by New Jersey Counties and call upon Governor Christie, the New Jersey Legislature, the New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts and New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino to immediately suspend the use of the current PSA as being dangerous, onerous and fiscally disastrous to the taxpayers of this great State.
did not vote for bail reform also did not see it on the ballot. what is this trash? what ever it is we don’t need or want it. things are dangerous enough with out letting dangerous criminals roam the streets free to commit more crimes.