Under current New York state law a hate crime is when someone commits or attempts to commit an offense toward someone because of “race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or because of sexual orientation.” Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) wants to add employment as a police officer to that list.
Ra, Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin and members of the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association gathered Monday to announce the proposed legislation, sponsored by Ra, to make targeting police with violent words or actions a hate crime and denounce such acts against police.
This comes as a response to two recent incidents of messages advocating violence against police in graffiti. One was a message that read “kill all cops” at the Newbridge School in North Bellmore. A similar message was found in Levittown, according to Hempstead officials.
“We’re tired of this, we’re tired of the ever-growing sentiment of anti-police,” Clavin said. “And in the Town of Hempstead most recently with the graphic, disgusting displays calling for assault and death of police officers. These women and men who are on the front line protecting us.”
Clavin said when he called Ra to discuss supporting police in the state Legislature, Ra was immediately on board.
Clavin also said that the graffiti situation in the town has been “spiraling out of control” and that steps are being taken to curb that trend, such as doubling fines. There will soon be a $10,000 fine for graffiti in Hempstead, according to Clavin.
Nassau County PBA president James McDermott applauded Ra and Clavin for the new bill, saying police need it.
“We go out there and we do the job of protecting people on the street,” McDermott said. “Now we need a little protection and they’re protecting us. They’re making a statement today against hate. Hate cannot be tolerated on any level, against anybody, including police officers.”
Calls to reform and defund police departments have come across the country since May, when a police officer in Minneapolis killed George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Protests and Black Lives Matter marches have been widespread, and some municipalities have diverted funds away from their police forces.
Last week, Dennis Jones of the Long Island Association for Police Accountability (LIAPA), himself an ex-NYPD officer, told Blank Slate Media he believes police are asked to do too much and shouldn’t have to be a catch-all when 911 is called. He said things like family arguments don’t always necessitate a police presence and take officers away from situations where they do need to be.
McDermott, who also was once a member of the NYPD, said he doesn’t agree with defunding the police but thinks there should be an “open dialogue” about police.
