SUFFERN, NY – On February 3, 2020 Mayor Ed Markunas along with the entire Village of Suffern Board of Trustees passed a resolution urging New York State’s governing body to consider amendments to the State’s Criminal Justice Reform Bill.

The recommended amendments to the Reform Bill as follows: allow 60 days for prosecutors to disclose evidence to the defense for criminal charges; exclude from the accelerated discovery requirements any charge not involving a misdemeanor or felony; adjust the 20-day arraignment requirement to accommodate local courts that meet on a monthly basis; and allow prosecutors to withhold sensitive information, such as victim contact information, without having to obtain a court order.

Mayor Ed Markunas, a retired NYPD police officer, has meet with and listened to Suffern Police Chief Clarke Osborn, who has taken a lead in the state to call attention to the dangers of the new law. The Mayor has also meet with other law enforcement officials, the Rockland County District Attorney, Justice Court professionals, first responders, residents, and crime victims who have expressed great concern about the Reform Bill and implications the new criminal justice reform has on our Village, County, and State. “These implications were not clearly evident at the time the Reform Bill was passed, yet these implications will have a lasting impact.” said Mayor Ed Markunas.

“The Village of Suffern urges State officials to put forward reforms immediately during this upcoming legislative session. It is imperative and with urgency that comprehensive solutions to criminal justice reform be enacted to keep our communities safe and consider the burden of local taxpayers. Municipalities such as the Village of Suffern are already challenged with operating within the now-permanent 2% tax cap and have not received an increase in general purpose state aid in 11 years. Village of Suffern residents strongly believe property tax relief from the State must be provided which includes sufficient funding to implement legislative acts.

WATCH THE FULL BOARD MEETING BELOW

The Village of Suffern recognized the need to reform New York’s criminal justice statutes during the 2019 state legislative session. The drastic and costly changes, however, resulted in shortened time periods for municipalities to achieve administrative compliance, hinders law enforcement’s ability to provide deserved protections to the community, and negatively impacts the role of prosecutors to seek justice for crime victims.”

Rockland Officials Call for Statewide Moratorium on New Criminal Justice Laws (Nov. 2019)