Democrats push for more Nassau police; Republicans refuse

Rich Nicolello

Kevan Abrahams

Did you feel it?  Nassau's political world turned upside down today.

Democratic county legislators, who advocated for more police oversight in the past, proposed increasing the county's police force; Republicans, who traditionally back the blue, wouldn't even consider their proposal.

In papers submitted to the legislative clerk earlier this month, Nassau's seven Democratic legislators proposed amending Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman's $3.3 billion budget for next year to add 110 additional sworn officers to the county's force of about 2,500. 

This came after three of the Democrats last year voted against proposed new police contracts in their support of community activists who wanted police reform.

But the legislature's 12 Republicans refused to consider the Democrat's  amendments because of a technical error: Democrats had not published notice of their proposed amendments in the local newspaper, ie. Newsday.

Such technicalities never stopped the majority party before.

Since 1996, the legislature has adopted budget changes by emergency vote, without any published notice and even, at times, before a written proposal had been submitted.

But in 2018, after newly elected Democratic County Executive Laura Curran proposed her first budget, her county attorney, Jared Kasschau, declared the legislature could not change the budget without prior notice. He actually sued the legislature after it amended the budget to pay for the reopening of closed  police precincts.

Kasschau also argued that the legislature could not change the county executive's revenue projections.

His lawsuit was essentially laughed out of court, after costing the county some $60,000 in legal fees. Democratic legislators made a deal with Curran and Kasschau dropped the case.

Today, Republican Presiding Officer Rich Nicolello (R-New Hyde Park) made all of the same Kasschau arguments.  It was jaw-dropping to longtime political observers.

Nicolello said the county charter requires that notice of any amendments be published in Newsday as well as any appropriation item.

"There was no notice," he said, indicating that Republicans would not even consider the Democrats' amendments because of the technical flaw.

Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams (D-Freeport) said he believed the proposed changes were "legally and fundamentally" sound. The $6.2 million in additional police costs was being transferred from other budget lines and did not increase the overall budget, he added.

And if Republicans were hung up on technical errors, he suggested the amendments be adopted by emergency, as had happened many times in the past.

"I'm willing to bet every single person here will validate the fact that public safety is our utmost priority," Abrahams said. "We are talking about adding an additional 110 police officers. These amendments are sound. They are not political shenanigans."

Then Nicolello proposed the ultimate in political shenanigan.

He said Republicans would consider the amendments if Democrats joined with them outside on  the steps of the county legislative building and demanded the state legislature repeal bail reform.

Repealing Democratic- approved criminal justice reforms, which eliminated cash bail for all but the most violent crimes and hamstrings prosecutors through a shortened time for evidence gathering,  is the top issue for Republican candidates in next month's election.

Republicans have blamed the reforms for increased crime by allowing suspects to walk free and commit more crimes. Democrats deny a correlation between the reforms and the crime rate.

Nicolello said, "You could have all the officers in the world but if the person you're arresting is out of jail and walking free before you finish the paperwork, you have a problem.

"It's not because of (a shortage) of cops. It's because of the insane policies of our legislature," Nicolello said."The problem is they're arresting people and they're getting right out."

Blakeman's budget adds additional officers to the force. Democrats wanted 55 more officers to increase law enforcement "visibility" on the streets, to address hate crimes and restore programs to help people convicted of crimes return to private life without being forced to re-offend out of desperation.

Interestingly, Legis. Steve Rhoads, (R-Bellmore) who is running against State Sen.Legis. John Brooks (D-Seaford) next month, stayed unusually silent during the debate even though he has pushed for bail reform on the stump while blaming Brooks for approving the changes. He has cited Police Commissioner Pat Ryder, who told the legislature early this month, that Nassau had experienced a 52 percent increase in major crimes this year.

Because Nicolello refused to allow the legislature to vote on the amendments, or even to declare an emergency to consider them,  Rhoads will not be accused of voting against police.

In fact, none of the Republicans can be accused of an anti-police vote.

Despite the wrangling,  Blakeman's budget, as proposed, ultimately was approved unanimously by the county legislature.