Indianapolis, IN Feb. 21, 2025 — Laws that eliminate the requirement to put up cash bail and ease pre-trial release conditions have created a public safety catastrophe. In New York City, for example, violent crimes, most of which are perpetrated by repeat offenders, have spiked since the state implemented its bail reform law in 2020. Police officers, already demoralized by an ongoing war on cops and whose ranks have since dwindled, are expending their valuable resources arresting re-offenders. It’s why the National Police Association (NPA) enthusiastically endorses the Stop Enabling Repeat Violence and Endangering Our Communities (SERVE) Act (H.R. 198), a bill designed to put an end to the endless cycle that places innocent lives at risk in New York and jurisdictions across the country. This bill, also referred to as the SERVE Our Communities Act, was introduced by Rep. Claudia Tenney (NY-24) in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill’s text can be found here.
Through the SERVE Our Communities Act, the U.S. Department of Justice would be authorized to administer grant money to qualifying states for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2031. These states would be permitted to use the funds to return offenders to society, as prescribed by the Second Chance Act of 2007. To qualify for this specific grant, a state would be required to have laws in place -or show that they’ve been working towards allowing courts to consider the danger a suspect may pose to society when determining pretrial release conditions.
Additionally, the state would need to expand its efforts to hire and retain police officers and prosecutors; or to administer a public education program to fight anti-police sentiment.
“Bail reform laws have emboldened repeat offenders, allowing them to victimize citizens without fear of reprisal. It’s a slap in the face to the law-abiding civilians of this nation, as well as to police officers, who work diligently to arrest suspects, only to see them back on the streets to re-offend,” said Paula Fitzsimmons, Legislative Director, National Police Association. “The SERVE Our Communities Act would incentivize states to fix this unsustainable trajectory by giving police officers, district attorneys, and judges the tools they need to keep dangerous offenders away from the public,” Fitzsimmons added.
The NPA is grateful to Sen. Tenney for introducing the SERVE Our Communities Act.
The National Police Association is a nonprofit organization that supports law enforcement through advocacy, education, and litigation. For more information, visit NationalPolice.org.
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