FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM NOVEMBER 14, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 31
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New criminal justice laws could send NYC back to ‘bad old days’
BY RICHARD “BO”
DIETL
New Yorkers are
weeks away from
sweeping changes
to our criminal justice
system. A series
of laws passed by the
state Legislature will take eff ect Jan. 1,
2020.
Th e legislation concerns bail reform
and new requirements related to the collection
of evidence and the process of a
speedy trial. Th ese laws will vastly and
widely impact law enforcement and crime
in New York, and not for the better.
While well intentioned, these measures
will make NYC revert to the dire state of
the 1970s, which some of us personally
remember and some may associate with
the 1979 fi lm “Th e Warriors.”
From a public safety perspective, the
new laws are a nightmare. Allowing criminals
to be free and roaming the streets
will only accelerate crime and send NYC
back to the “bad old days” when lawlessness
was rampant. I worked the streets as
a detective when the city regularly saw
thousands of homicides per year. In the 35
years since I’ve been retired, I am glad that
crime has gone down signifi cantly and the
city has become one of the safest large cities
on the planet. Politicians are making
laws that can reverse decades of progress.
I certainly agree with the spirit of criminal
justice reform and have personally
supported bail reform. Th ousands of people
get entangled in the system, which can
be unfair and cruel at points. For instance,
a teenager with no prior record who gets
arrested for a small amount of marijuana
shouldn’t be sent to Rikers Island for
months just because he can’t aff ord bail.
However, these reforms will have severe
unintended consequences that politicians
are too short-sighted to think through
properly.
Th e kind of bail reform presented here
will put serious off enders on the street
while awaiting trial. Bail will be eliminated
all misdemeanors, most nonviolent
felonies, including Class A drug felonies
and even certain burglary and robbery
charges. Even some homicide charges can
have bail waived under these changes.
Th e NYPD will be forced to issue Desk
Appearance Tickets (DAT) to people they
arrest for all misdemeanors and many felonies,
essentially crippling all enforcement.
Under the new rules, it’s entirely
possible for a person to be arrested for a
robbery, get it downgraded to grand larceny
and released without bail, then later
in the same day commit another grand
larceny, get another DAT, and be out in
time to commit more crimes before supper.
It may sound ridiculous but under
these new farcical regulations, it could
really happen.
Even more alarming are the potential
eff ects of the new discovery requirements.
Witnesses and crime victims’ names and
home addresses will be released to defendants
as soon as possible, within 15 days.
Police and prosecutors already have a diffi
letters & comments
cult job convincing witnesses and victims
to come forward, under the new paradigm
the task will be nearly Sisyphean.
Detectives will now have to warn witnesses
and victims that their attackers may
be on the street and have their name and
contact information while awaiting trial.
Undoubtedly this will discourage already
scared and traumatized individuals from
cooperating with investigations.
Th e current anti-police climate in the
city has already contributed to lowering
the morale among members of the NYPD.
I speak to cops every day, and many of
them tell me they are hesitant to act in the
line of duty because they know city politicians
and the top brass that report to them
won’t have their back in the event of a
complaint. Police have always been ready
to risk their lives for service, but now they
risk their reputation and livelihood just by
doing their jobs.
Th e discovery changes will require
police to turn over evidence such as
security camera and body camera to the
defense within 15 days. Th e process of
securing chain of custody of evidence can
be time and labor intensive. Th ese laws
ignore NYPD budget and time restraints,
and will drain existing resources, reducing
the availability of detectives to carry
out their core functions of investigating
crimes.
Th ese regulations can also hamper
long-term investigations. If a suspect in a
criminal enterprise (such as a gang member)
is arrested and quickly released along
with the names of all witnesses and victims,
his or her accomplices and associates
will have a heads up on investigations.
Th ey will be better able to elude prosecution
and continue their criminal activities
unabated.
Especially unsettling is that Grand Jury
testimony, which has for hundreds of
years been kept secret in order to protect
victims and help build cases, will now
be disclosed to defendants and within 15
days. Keeping Grand Jury testimony secret
has been eff ective for decades at securing
witness cooperation and assuaging victims’
fears. Revealing Grand Jury information
may also put jurors at risk of jury
tampering and encourage someone facing
indictment to fl ee and become a fugitive.
Th ese new laws were passed for entirely
political purposes and without regard for
the safety of our city’s population. Th ey
were craft ed without proper input or consultation
by the police department and
prosecutors. Such drastic changes will
radically alter the criminal justice system
on every level and create far reaching consequences.
Th e city is entirely unprepared
for these imminent changes, which is a
very scary thought. I hope the governor
reconsiders these actions.
Richard “Bo” Dietl was a New York City
police offi cer and detective for 16 years.
During his career he eff ected over 1,600
felony arrests during the most violent
years in NYC history. Since 1985 he has
been CEO of Beau Dietl & Associates, an
investigative and security fi rm. He was a
candidate for NYC mayor in 2017.
MAYOR’S INCENTIVE
PROGRAM IS NOT FAIR
Mayor Bill de Blasio has a plan where
some accused criminals being released in
January 2020 for lack of bail money will
be given gift s by city to return for trial.
Th e mayor’s administration will be
spending on Mets tickets, movie passes,
gift cards and much more. Now, who pays
for all this? Oh, I know: the hardworking
taxpayers.
I’m a senior citizen and I would like free
tickets to movies and Mets game. I’ll take
some free gift cards and maybe throw in
some free MetroCards, too!
Furthermore, all my hardworking fellow
residents would like these perks —
those of us who pay taxes and don’t break
the law are not in line to get these goodies.
Even if these accused criminals get the
gift s, what are the chances they will show
up for their trial?
Frederick R. Bedell Jr., Glen Oaks
Village
MAKE SURE TO CELEBRATE
NATIONAL BAKLAVA DAY!
Why not celebrate National Baklava
Day (Saturday, Nov. 17) all year long?
Top off your lunch or dinner with something
sweet for dessert and order a piece
of baklava at the end of the meal at your
favorite Greek restaurant.
Baklava consists of 30 or more sheets
of phyllo dough brushed with lots of butter,
and layered with fi nely chopped pistachios,
walnuts and/or almonds.
Who better than the Greeks to make
this tasty treat?
Our favorite Greek restaurant for baklava
is Fontana Famous Pizza & Gyro on
the corner of Northern Boulevard and
Francis Lewis Boulevard in Bayside.
A slice of their baklava will put a smile
on your face. Just don’t get up and start
dancing to block the aisle! Opa!
Larry Penner, Great Neck
WHERE HAS COMMON
COURTESY GONE?
What has happened to values, morals,
respect and decency?
It seems that that these virtues have gone
right out the window, and I’ve noticed
that people show very little respect for
each other, if any.
Nobody knows how to say “thank you,”
“excuse me” or “I’m sorry” anymore. And
what ever happened to showing some
kindness to others, such as giving up one’s
seat on the bus or subway for an elderly,
disabled or pregnant person?
How about saying “thank you” when
someone holds open a door for you?
People are very rude and cold, and this
is becoming more evident every single
day. Nobody smiles anymore. Everyone
is too wrapped up using their computers
and cellphones. Technology has replaced
common courtesy, and that is a really sad
state of aff airs for this country to be in.
People should show some kindness and
respect for each other — that would certainly
help to make the world a much better
place to live in.
John Amato, Fresh Meadows
WATER VIEWS IN THE ROCKAWAYS // PHOTO VIA INSTAGRAM @tourguidebuddz
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