New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says inmates released early due to the coronavirus pandemic are resorting to “unconscionable” behavior with their newfound freedom.
The Democrat told reporters Monday that New York City police officers must continue to “keep doing what they’re doing” as former Rikers Island inmates wreak havoc on the Big Apple.
Roughly 1,400 prisoners were released. At least 50 have been arrested for new crimes.
“I think it’s unconscionable just on a human level that folks were shown mercy and this is what some of them have done,” the mayor said, The New York Post reported. “We do see some recidivism. I have not seen a huge amount but any amount is obviously troubling.”
Mr. de Blasio, who threatened “fines and potentially closing” churches in March for those holding worship services in violation of quarantine orders, assured reporters that officials were “buckling down” on monitoring released inmates.
The newspaper noted that some inmates hold the bizarre distinction of being released, arrested, and rreleased yet again.
“This is outrageous,” an New York Police Department source told the Post over the weekend. “Our concern was that, you know, we really didn’t have much of a say at all. They did confer on some, but the majority of releases, we were never conferred with.”
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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