LONG ISLAND DEMOCRATS ENGAGE IN ATTACK ON POLICE:

LAWMAKERS VOW TO SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT VIOLATES OFFICERS’ CIVIL RIGHTS TO PRIVACY

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Republican candidates and elected officials continue to support the brave men and women of law enforcement and strongly denounce the recent actions of Democrat lawmakers in Albany. In the midst of civil unrest throughout the country, all six Long Island Democrat Senators and majority of the Democrat Members of NYS Assembly have vowed to support the repeal of Civil Rights Law §50-a, an important law that protects the integrity of New York State Law Enforcement Officers.

Long Island Republican lawmakers, like Assemblyman Doug Smith, support preserving the rights of NYS law enforcement. “What happened to George Floyd was criminal; we can address issues of community policing without dismantling the police department!”, said Assemblyman Smith.

Repeal of §50-a is another attempt by the Democrat majority in Albany to strip police of the right to keep personnel records private, and gives a foothold for dismantling police departments like we see happening with the NYPD and police departments in states across the country.

The statutory framework of §50-a balances the privacy and safety of law enforcement officers with the public’s need for transparency. Repeal of §50-a could harm an officer’s credibility and subjects them to prejudice. Full disclosure of such information found in an officer’s personnel file would place the officer in serious danger of irreparable harm. If personnel files are made public, nefarious individuals could use the information to bring harm to Law Enforcement Officers, their families or give power to those who wish to destroy an officer’s reputation and career.

Long Island’s Democrat Senators Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach), James Gauhgran (D-Northport), John Brooks (D-Seaford), Kevin Thomas (D-Levittown), Anna Kaplan (D-North Hempstead), Monica Martinez (D-Brentwood), along with Democrat Assembly members, have promised to once again attack the honorable members of law enforcement when they vote to repeal the Civil Rights Law §50-a. This war on police will not be tolerated by New York Republican Senators and Members of the Assembly. Unlike the Democrat majority and local Democrat Leaders, Long Island Republican representatives and our 2020 Republican candidates, will continue to fight for law enforcement professionals both here at home, and in Albany.

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Maureen GetchellSCGOP