Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) cast a vote against a proposed initiative aimed at adding more responsibilities for police officers during arrests. The bill mandates that New York State Police and local law enforcement develop child-sensitive arrest policies in cases where the person being arrested is responsible for a child as a parent, guardian, or legal caregiver. It aims to reduce the impact on children witnessing such arrests.
Hawley expressed concerns about the financial implications of implementing these new procedures, noting that no funding plan was included in the measure. He argued that this could lead to increased burdens on already underfunded local departments.
“While I believe this policy is well-intentioned, it provides a one-size-fits-all solution for an issue that varies so much with each case,” Hawley stated. He emphasized that police officers receive extensive training from their first day at the academy to handle various arrest situations, including those involving families. “Adding extra training and more procedures will only make it harder and more expensive for our police officers to do their jobs.”
