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Sheriff says inmates have already threatened law enforcement officials because of Journal News' gun owners map
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Now to new dangers from the recently published a gun -- the one showing the names and addresses of New York gun owners Rockland county law enforcement officials sane in the journal news map is putting their officers in the line of fire.
They say jail inmates are talking corrections officers threatening the officers that they may know the guards home addresses profit -- share.
-- -- -- -- -- -- Good evening -- -- you.
Very -- -- -- -- idea what's happening with these threats.
Well basically you know the offices are on edge and to it's it's really like I said it's it's uncalled for.
And I wanna put everything Indies and I would hope that the journal news would -- Retract this not.
And -- and put it away.
I don't know what point they were trying to prove.
But -- -- a lot of disharmony within law enforcement and with the public at large.
Is it now too late -- -- -- it's published.
-- -- certain way to -- remove it from the Internet to -- is an interactive map by another point 5% of the names and addresses apparently are rock but is there anything we want to what specifically would you want to do at this point.
Pull the map down I mean don't give the B -- criminal meant the ability to continue to -- -- that map.
For law enforcement now law enforcement when I -- law enforcement not only corrections police probation.
Parole officers DEA agents FBI -- Secret Service.
Rockland county has a large number of law enforcement officials -- of the -- and -- and also puts the public address store owners.
And homeowners.
Have you spoken to the publisher and -- -- the newspaper.
That they did call me yesterday.
To ask me to explain to them exactly what was transpire when -- -- -- because you know as they indicated.
He can't just pick out somebody's name and find them.
And I said that's not the way it's working big they're going to the phones they're calling home -- corn fellow gang members friends.
There -- indeed the names and and they're going through the maps on their own and are searching out with the officers might live.
On top of that we have almost 8000 active and retired new York city police officers that live in Rockland county.
-- -- Guess I got -- all of these people have done.
Wolf biting things all of these people have enforce the laws of the state in new York and upheld the constitution in they are their families are at risk.
Did you get -- -- -- they called -- because it generally want to find that was wrong they'll look at for another story and trying to get a statement from the sheriff.
Well you know what I think they're just trying to get another statement but I'm standing on one thing and that's public safety the safety of the public.
And that includes law enforcement personnel and the public get at march.
Is there any indication that the newspaper is going to apple that mapped out by have seen no indication.
At all I know our legislature is actually.
Lobbying them to pull it off.
The Internet north the there there's sites but I don't see any indication at this time that they're going to do that.
Sheriff thank you sir you're welcome to.
And New York's Putnam county which is next to Rockland county is refusing to release the names addresses of gun owners Putnam county district attorney Adam Levy.
Calling it a matter -- public safety he joins -- convenience -- good evening Greta.
I -- -- that this is a public record so how are you prevent teen then turning this over to the newspaper or whoever else requests it.
Well first -- Greta this is absolutely -- public safety issue as you said it's not a gun issue.
We are complying with the law.
The fact that names and addresses are public records as he indicated does not mean they under the public officers law that needs to be turned over.
That's not what the law says there are specific exceptions in the law the very same reasons that sheriff -- indicated.
Not only at a public safety issues for the law enforcement personnel and Rockland and Westchester County.
And in Putnam county and others what you also have not only the license permit holders who are at risk.
By having their names and addresses included on that map.
But also their neighbors who don't have guns who chose not to put.
Not to purchase guns and -- unlawfully because they become soft targets so -- absolute exceptions in the law we are complying with the law.
And we would ask -- journal news to simply withdraw their request.
-- I'm curious on how -- you're not going to do because there are exceptions -- -- -- that's your position.
I'm curious to -- we don't dances but is -- governor able to issue any -- executive order to sort of to change the public records and it changed the -- have to go through a legislature -- -- do it at an emergency basis they give you back up.
My understanding Greta is that there's already -- bill pending in the senate that's passed.
That would prevent this type of disclosure from taking place that bill is held up in the assembly.
But we're okay we're okay on the law we're OK with case precedent we're OK with the statute itself.
So as far as I'm concerned my county executive Mike county clerk.
We are complying with the law we're protecting the citizens we're doing the jobs that were required to do under the constitution.
Is the publisher of the newspaper that published the -- neighboring counties records as that the paper -- ask you for your records and M&M and how long go with a record zest for -- they serve abandoned that it was before the holidays and yes it's the same paper.
Have they and they've made any sort of that and they should have backed off because they hue and cry from some money people -- they still aggressively pursuing it for your county.
Now they made their request and our obligation under the law is to provide them in writing with our answer which we will do.
And then they have their opportunity to appeal that to the county executive and after the county executive issues her decision -- the journal news chooses to they can then.
Bring it to the Supreme Court in Putnam county and bring on an article 78 proceeding where -- -- will request a supreme court judge review the decision reverses.
And I believe we will be successful.
You know once even bizarre when -- talking last night to -- Rockland county representative.
About 25% of their records are just flat out wrong people who may have lawfully registered gun with the clerk's office to have five or six years ago may have moved another kind may move to another state -- records and it was then that with a -- that that type of -- 25%.
I'm curious we know why any of these records would be released well there went so they can be at least checked out -- what's been released is just misinformation at best.
Credit seems to me that the journal news to not think this through very well.
They didn't think it through on public safety grounds most certainly.
They didn't think it through on legal grounds and if they didn't think it through -- public safety your legal grounds they most certainly didn't seem to care the information is accurate or not.
They should reconsider their position.
Well I think -- mice I suspect that they're gonna back up trying to get me -- miss created so much hot and people -- pretty outraged about this I don't I suspect you -- I could hear from them again.
We could be and that's probably their best move because we're not backing down.
Sir thank you very much thank you.
