Marino Calls For Palmieri To Step Down As Public Safety Commissioner Amid Shootings

Utica Councilman and Democrat Mayoral Candidate Joe Marino is once again, publicly, calling for Mayor Rob Palmieri to step down as Public Safety Commissioner.

Marino says, there is a gun violence crisis in the city and nothing new is being done to try and remedy the situation. In the course of a few months, multiple innocent people have been injured by gunfire and Marino says, it has to stop.

Marino has laid out a plan that he feels the mayor should implement immediately. In a release he lists four actions, he believes should be taken immediately. The plan includes,

• Form a task force of elected officials from the City, County, State, Law Enforcement and community to help end this crisis.
• Call on State and Federal officials for more grant funding for technological updates to be proactive on these issues.
• Engage with national experts to help assist law enforcement on community policing.
• Create a permanent, community staffed, committee on gangs to attack this issue head-on

In addition to suggesting these actions be taken, Marino has once again called on Mayor Palmieri to take the responsibilities of Public Safety Commissioner off of his plate and appoint, "a qualified candidate who will immediately address this public safety crisis."

Marino says,

If I am fortunate enough to be the next Mayor of Utica, I will direct the Public Safety Commissioner to form a task force along with our local and state law enforcement partners, including the district attorney’s office as well as community leaders to aggressively target the perpetrators of this gun violence.

Marino also plans on partnering with local organizations and schools to get to the root of youth violence by educating kids on the dangers of gun violence. WIBX will reach out to Mayor Palmieri and his office for a response.