June 10, 2020
ALBANY, NY – As a result of the death of George Floyd, the NYS legislature has made it legal, for members of the general public to see the personnel files of law enforcement officers. Upstate GOP reaction has started coming in, the first is from Senator Borrello. “The brutal and unjust death of George Floyd has shaken all of us and opened a wound in our nation that demands attention. However, the Senate Majority attempted to fix a terrible injustice by opening the door to many more injustices. The repeal of section 50-a of the Civil Rights Law will heighten the already-significant risks our men and women in law enforcement face every day by allowing for the public release of personnel records, including reports of unfounded complaints. It is an action that creates potential for harm to the reputations, jobs and even the safety of those who dedicate themselves to protecting us and our communities. It takes away their constitutional right to due process. This terrible incident could have been the impetus for a much-needed dialogue with all parties, including our law enforcement community, on the most effective way to achieve real, lasting reform. Instead, the rush to ‘do something’ won out.”
