The Erie County Legislature unanimously approved a resolution in support of protecting first responders, including ambulance services, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), and firefighters from having their information shared as a result of changes made to discovery process and criminal justice laws. The resolution was introduced by Legislators Lorigo, Todaro, Rath, and Mills.

Under the new discovery process, prosecutors are required to share evidence from crime scenes, including police reports, witness names, and contact information with defense attorneys on an expedited timeline of within 15 days of an arraignment. Right now, provisions of the 2019 legislation protect law enforcement from the disclosure of their name and contact information to avoid potential threats and intimidation following an arrest. The resolution introduced by the Minority Caucus supports state legislation that would extend this protection to all first responders.

Legislator Rath said, “Our first responders are invaluable to the people they serve. Revisions to criminal justice reforms need to be strengthened to protect all emergency personnel from having their information shared. None of these individuals should have to fear retaliation against themselves or their families, and it is unconscionable to think something like this could happen. This is just one more example of why sweeping state criminal justice reforms need to be revisited by our leaders in Albany.”

Legislator Lorigo said, “Criminal justice reforms have been a nightmare for law enforcement, first responders, and prosecutors across the state. It is important all of these individuals have the proper protections in place in order to prevent information from being shared with potentially dangerous criminals. Our resolution supports extending protections to first responders so they and their loved ones won’t have to fear retaliation. It’s a shame that the safety of these men and women wasn’t thought of when these criminal justice reforms were first forced through the state legislature.”

Legislator Todaro said, “Our first responders deserve all protections necessary for their own safety and the safety of their loved ones. Sharing their information with defendants could lead to a form of retaliation. As lawmakers, we need to do everything we can to prevent that from happening.”

Legislator Mills said, “We appreciate everything our first responders do to keep our communities safe. Unfortunately, criminal justice reforms failed to keep their safety in mind when it comes to sharing their personal information. State leaders need to consider this and put stronger protections in place as soon as possible.”

A copy of the resolution can be viewed here.