NY leaders blasted after county sees 2,600 arrests end with zero bail: 'A pandemic of lawlessness'

Nassau County legislator says bail reform laws are behind surge in crime

Nassau County, New York legislator Steve Rhoads ripped county and state leadership over soft-on-crime bail reform laws on "Fox & Friends First" Wednesday, calling out the nearly 2,600 arrests that ended with zero bail.

"Some of the same issues that we're dealing with in New York City we're dealing with in Nassau County," he told host Todd Piro

"It's a pandemic of lawlessness that's been brought on by these bail laws."

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Nassau County police vehicle. (Office of the Nassau County Executive)

Nassau County Police Department indicate 282 criminals were charged with assault, 487 were convicted on drug charges and 434 were convicted on theft charge after being released with zero bail, Piro reported.

"The stats do tell the story. The stats are there for all to see. I think the issue is that the leadership of this state simply does not care," Rhoads said.

He went on to rip New York prosecutors for focusing on the interests of criminals over the well-being of victims and said the misplaced focus is behind the concerning uptick in lawlessness.

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New York crime (Fox News)

"Government's number one responsibility is to try to keep our citizens safe, and unfortunately these bail laws are making it impossible to do so," Rhoads added.

The Nassau County legislator said local communities' hands are tied because of state law, but they have still tried to work on victims' behalf nonetheless.

"We've created, at the county level, the office of the crime victim advocate who's actually an attorney who will go in and fight for the victims in criminal court who go unrepresented."

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Rhoads hopes the crime report will lead to change after anti-police rhetoric and policies from state leaders rendered law enforcement unable to fulfill their duties.

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