by State Rep. Ben McGorty, (R)
122nd House District
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Public safety and crime prevention is going to be a top concern of the legislature in the upcoming legislative session. Crime spikes across the state in recent years have left many Shelton, Stratford, and Trumbull residents looking for solutions from lawmakers that prioritize the safety of their communities.
House Republicans held a news conference on Wednesday morning to outline their legislative proposals addressing Connecticut’s crime crisis. Lawmakers were also joined by victims and advocates to explain how the crisis has impacted them. You can view the entire news conference by going to:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_X3YDGq5Hs
Protecting the Public
The proposals presented at today’s news conference are segmented into three specific categories – Safe Streets, Victim’s Rights, and Supporting Law Enforcement.
Safe Streets
Accountability is needed in our state’s criminal justice system – particularly the juvenile court system. The plan proposes several changes to the classification of certain crimes, maximum detainment periods, monitoring mechanisms, and required reporting data in the event of an arrest.
Victim’s Rights
Those who have been victims of the crime crisis deserve adequate resources to assist their recovery efforts. The plan calls for additional funding to be allocated to the Office of the Victim Advocate and the establishment of a compensation fund to reimburse the cost to replace or fix damaged property.
Supporting Law Enforcement
After the passage of the “Police Accountability” law, which opened up police officers in Connecticut to frivolous lawsuits, local departments and the state police have reported morale issues. The plan calls to repeal certain sections of that law, which would help local departments procure additional resources and ensure officers are able to safely make traffic stops. You can review the plan by clicking the image below.
