Dagen McDowell warns New York bail laws will lead to a rise in vigilante justice and organized crime
Crime in New York City is spiking, says Fox Business Network anchor Dagen McDowell.
New York City’s crime is “spiking,” "Outnumbered" panelist Dagen McDowell said on Monday, criticizing New York City's government for neglecting to support law enforcement and being lax on crime.
“You know what’s going to happen? Vigilante justice and you’re going to have the rise of organized crime,” McDowell said, reacting to the assassination attempt against two police officers in the Bronx this past weekend. “If somebody punches you in the face, there is no bail. They get written a ticket and they’re right back on the street. So, what position are our police officers put in? What position are the citizens here in New York City and New York state? No cash bail for misdemeanors or non-violent felonies. You can rob the local drug store and you get a little appearance ticket and you’re right back out on the street.”
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McDowell’s comments came after police said Robert Williams, carried out two attacks on officers in the Bronx fewer than 12 hours apart. Williams was taken into custody on Sunday morning after allegedly unloading his 9mm handgun on officers at a precinct in the Bronx. The shooting wounded a police lieutenant in his upper left arm.
The weekend attacks come amid rising tensions between the city’s 34,000-member force and the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has implemented several measures that critics say are hostile to police.
De Blasio oversaw a dramatic decrease of the stop-and-frisk policy, which gave beat cops wide latitude to detain and search people for weapons, made the Big Apple a sanctuary city and has slated the Rikers Island jail for closure. In addition, new criminal justice reforms passed by state lawmakers effectively end cash bail for a wide variety of criminal suspects.
McDowell noted that “serious” crimes such as auto thefts, shootings, and robberies have spiked.
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“There’s one job of government and that’s to protect its citizens and protect those in law enforcement," McDowell said. "And this government isn’t doing it.”
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