Assemblyman Abinanti Proposes Giving Attorney General Sole Authority to Prosecute Alleged Police Crimes

The following announcement is from the office of Assemblyman Tom Abinanti:

Assemblyman Tom Abinanti (D-Greenburgh/Mt. Pleasant) is drafting legislation to give New York’s Attorney General exclusive jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute all alleged crimes by police officers whether or not in connection with the performance of their regular duties.

“There is an appearance of a conflict of interest – if not an inherent actual conflict of interest –– every time a local district attorney is called on to handle a matter against a local police officer with whom the DA must work in the normal course of their duties,” said Abinanti. “The present law giving the Governor discretion to take matters from a local DA and give it to the Attorney General is not enough.”

According to Abinanti, the current calls for reexamination of the criminal justice system present an opportunity to make reforms that should have been made long ago.

“Allegations that a police officer committed a crime should be investigated and/or prosecuted according to a uniform standard,” said the Westchester Assemblyman. “The public should not feel that the outcome of an investigation is predetermined by either the location of the investigation or the occupation of the defendant. The public must have confidence that the criminal justice system is fair and free of bias.”