City Councilmembers ask Gov. Hochul to give judges more discretion to hold people on gun charges

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester City Councilmember Michael Patterson has sent a letter, signed by four fellow council members, asking Gov. Kathy Hochul to adopt what’s known as a dangerousness standard for people charged with gun crimes.

A similar request came from former mayor and lieutenant governor Bob Duffy in July. These letters are addressing the wave of gun violence in Rochester in recent months.

This dangerousness standard would give judges the discretion at arraignment to keep individuals charged with gun crimes in jail if a person is not authorized to own a gun and the judge thinks he or she would pose a danger to the community if released.