Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman and his running mate are visiting Monroe County on Monday, Aug. 17, to push for passage of a bill that several Republican lawmakers and law enforcement leaders say would increase public safety in New York.
Fresh off President Donald Trump's Aug. 14 visit to Blakeman's hometown, the Nassau County executive will be joined by his pick for lieutenant governor Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood, Sen. Pam Helming, R-Canandaigua, and other local law enforcement and elected officials to urge passage of the Pretrial Risk Overview for Threat Evaluation, Custody and Treatment, or PROTECT, Act.
When is Bruce Blakeman speaking in Monroe County?
The media event is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 17 at Gates Town Hall,1605 Buffalo Road.
Why is Blakeman coming to Monroe County?
The legislation was
initially introduced to the state Legislature in January 2025 and would require the courts to evaluate whether someone charged with a felony or Class A misdemeanor poses a risk to public safety ahead of their trial.
Helming, Hood and Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter showed their support for the bill inside the state Capitol in Albany earlier this year.
"Public safety is not a political issue. Ask yourself: Why don’t New York residents receive the same protections as every other citizen in the nation?," Baxter previously said. "Without decisive intervention, repeat offenders will continue to put our communities at risk."
"The PROTECT Act establishes a clear, consistent dangerousness standard, bringing New York in line with every other state and the federal system while strengthening protections for victims and safeguarding the rights of the accused,” the Monroe County Sheriff added.
Why are New York Republicans talking about public safety?
Blakeman's visit to Monroe County comes after Trump traveled to Long Island on Friday, Aug. 14, with other federal officials to tour the Nassau County Police Academy and discuss the 2025 FBI Crime Report's findings.
The connection between public safety and federal immigration enforcement has also been a key issue during the governor's race, as Gov. Kathy Hochul and Blakeman clashed over details of local law enforcement interactions with federal immigration agencies.
Previously, Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James sent letters to the dozen police agencies in New York that have 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), warning they must dissolve the deals by Aug. 25 to adhere to a new state law.
Some local government leaders and law enforcement groups across the state have since pushed back against the upcoming ban of the ICE cooperation pacts, including Blakeman and his running mate Hood.
Emily Barnes covers state government for the USA TODAY Network-New York with a focus on how policy and laws impact New Yorkers' taxes, communities and jobs. Follow her on Instagram or X @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bruce Blakeman campaign stop in Monroe County today: See visit details
