Members of the all-Democrat Buffalo Common Council continue to voice concerns about New York’s new laws which eliminate cash bail and detention for most crimes.

Last week, the body unanimously passed a resolution asking state lawmakers to restore a judge’s discretion to institute bail. At a police oversight meeting Tuesday, Council Member Rasheed Wyatt reiterated he was shocked by some of the details of the law he’s heard so far and said his constituents are apprehensive as well.

“Some of the seniors were very concerned about what they were hearing about what could possibly happen when you release someone and you don’t allow the judge to have discretion,” Wyatt said. “I’m not one to want to turn the clock back but it’s something that we definitely want to make sure that the public is aware of and hope that our state elected officials are hearing the concerns from the community.”

The council member asked Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood how the new rules have affected his department so far. Lockwood said judges are not holding people for the same charges they did before the first year, but he doesn’t have a comprehensive view of the impact yet.

“I can’t really say until we get into the middle of the year to how much it’s going to affect the Buffalo Police Department,” he said.

Various Democrats including the governor and attorney general have indicated they believe the law may need some tweaks but others continue to defend it as a positive step.