(The Center Square) — New Hampshire’s Republican Gov.-elect Kelly Ayotte has created a new public safety ‘task force’ to push for changes to the state’s bail laws and other criminal justice reforms.
Ayotte said the five-person task force, including a law enforcement officer, firefighter and corrections official, will help guide her transition as she prepares to take over the governor’s office in January.
“This qualified and dedicated group of individuals will help identify key issues and priorities to further our justice and public safety goals, from recruiting and retaining the best first responders in the nation, to ending the revolving door bail system and getting dangerous criminals off our streets,” she said in a statement.
Ayotte has tapped Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais to serve on the panel, New Hampshire Department of Corrections Chief Probation and Parole Officer Seifu Ragassa, and Manchester’s police and fire chiefs, according to the statement.
“The safety of our city is non-negotiable,” Ruais said in a statement. “I look forward to working with you and the legislature to address key areas like bail reform to further improve our city’s safety and wellbeing.”
Ayotte, a former U.S. senator and attorney general, defeated Democratic former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig in the Nov. 5 election to keep the governor’s office under Republican control for another two years. Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, is stepping down after deciding not to seek a fifth term.
On the campaign trail, Ayotte pledged to continue Sununu’s anti-tax, pro-business economic policies. She also vowed to tackle the state’s housing crisis, strengthen its mental health system and improve education. She also hammered Craig over crime in Manchester, arguing that her Democratic policies were contributing to the problem.
While New Hampshire’s violent crime rate has been decreasing for years, Ayotte has argued that there are too many crimes being committed by suspects who are out on bail. She and others have criticized a bail reform law signed by Sununu in 2018 that set the current rules.
Sununu signed another bill in August to tighten bail laws by holding people accused of violent crimes behind bars until their arraignments. The changes also require the state to hire bail commissioners and attorneys who can fill in for judges to oversee bail hearings and ensure the process moves quickly. Ayotte and others have also criticized that measure.
“Keeping New Hampshire moving in the right direction starts with ensuring we remain the safest state in the nation, which is why I’m proud to announce today my Public Safety Task Force,” Ayotte said in the statement.
