East Hudson Valley News

Assemblyman Matt Slater expressed his approval following Governor Kathy Hochul's signing of the "Detective Brian Simonsen Law" (A.08994A). This legislation, proposed by Slater, gained bipartisan support and requires cell phone carriers to limit or disable services to stolen devices upon notification. The law aims to deter cell phone thefts and enhance safety in New York, in memory of Detective Brian Simonsen.

Detective Simonsen lost his life on February 12, 2019, during an armed robbery at a Queens cell phone store. The perpetrator forced employees into a back room before confronting officers with a weapon. In the subsequent gunfire exchange, Detective Simonsen was fatally shot.

Slater remarked on the legislation's significance: “We all know New Yorkers across the state are concerned with crime, so I am happy to see the governor agrees with me and my colleagues and has signed this important piece of legislation into law. As legislators, we must use all tools available to us to deter crime and make New York a safer place for all. This law will achieve that as well as help remember and memorialize Detective Simonsen.”

Assemblyman Michael Tannousis also supported the bill: “Detective Simonsen is a hero who tragically lost his life when he interrupted a robbery at a Queens cell phone store. This common-sense legislation will help prevent other such tragedies by requiring service providers to disable stolen cell phones, rendering them useless. I am proud to have assisted in pushing the bill past the finish line and commend Detective Endowment Association President Paul DiGiacomo for his tireless advocacy in memory of fallen hero Detective Brian Simonsen.”

Assemblyman Mike Reilly highlighted the importance of proactive measures: “This law supports our law enforcement officers and is a step in the right direction to proactively prevent crime. I want to thank the governor and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and especially Assemblyman Slater, for their commitment to this effort. Tragedies like the one that took Detective Simonsen’s life can be prevented if we continue to work together and pass laws that actually stop crime in New York.”

Assemblywoman Amy Paulin emphasized prevention: “Any robbery has the potential to turn into something violent, which we saw in New York City, where Detective Brian Simonsen was tragically killed during a cell phone store robbery,” said Assemblywoman Amy Paulin. “We need to keep our officers and residents safe, and this is a commonsense step in that direction. If robbers know they won’t be able to use the phones they steal, there’s no reason to steal them. I thank Governor Hochul for taking this step to help prevent crime before it happens and keep New Yorkers safe.”