It is essential that citizens have faith in our government to enforce the laws uniformly and without bias. This is a bedrock principle of our country and that is why I support a full re-examination of the Eric Garner case and am committed to working with Governor Cuomo, my colleagues in the Legislature, Mayor de Blasio and with law enforcement to improve the manner in which we police our streets and to restore the people's faith in our legal system.

The protests that have followed in the aftermath of the grand jury's decision speak undeniably to the frustration that so many feel. My heart goes out to the Garner family as they continue to grieve and now to struggle with this decision. I applaud the family's call for peaceful protest. We must go further, channeling our energies and uniting in an effort to ensure that Mr. Garner's tragic loss will lead us all to a better place.