During a news conference on Monday in Brooklyn, New York City Mayor Eric Adams shared this thoughts on the legal system with NYPD officials. His sights were set on judges and prosecutors, who he believes aren’t doing their part in upholding the law.
While singing the praises of police officers for being “laser-focused on the shooters” and making arrests, he insisted that the courts are negligent. “The courts have to prosecute. Judges have to make sure they stay in. Everyone has to do their part. If not, they go out and come back,” Adams remarked.
Adams made no reference to how the NYPD has become notorious for racial profiling, nor did he address the racism that fuels police brutality. Instead, the former NYPD captain focused solely on criminals, whom he referred to as “bad guys.”
“No one takes criminal justice seriously anymore. These bad guys no longer take them seriously,” he continued. “They believe our criminal justice system is a laughingstock of our entire country. We have to get serious about this ’cause innocent people are dying.”
Adams also critiqued Albany lawmakers for not toughening up when it comes to bail laws. “We made some victories in Albany around public safety. We would have liked to receive more, like the dangerousness standard that’s so important,” he proclaimed.
“I’m hoping that they can examine that in the next legislative cycle because we have to close some of those loopholes that are dealing with public safety. Sometimes I just feel with some lawmakers that they’re just not dealing in the reality. Idealism can’t displace realism,” Adams said.”
Adams is oversimplifying a justice system that’s full of discriminatory practices and one that punishes Black people far more harshly than any other group of people. Instead of viewing lawmakers as the ones solely culpable, Adams should be re-evaluating our system as a whole.