Imagine the shock of Cattaraugus County residents earlier this week when convicted murderer Edward Kindt fled his halfway house in Dutchess County and made his way back to Cattaraugus County.

State Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, said it is the second time Kindt has violated his parole since being released by the Parole Board last year, while Kindt also violated an order of the Seneca Nation of Indians banning him from their nation for at least one year. Perhaps the worst part is that the state Parole Division didn’t notify the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office of Kindt’s escape until six days after he had fled.

The whole situation is completely unacceptable.

Ironically, Kindt hadn’t yet escaped when Borrello introduced legislation (S.9872) that would require parolees released without a unanimous vote by the state Parole Board to be housed in one of the communities of the Parole Board members who voted for release. We weren’t sure the bill stood much of a chance in the Democrat-controlled state Legislature before Kindt’s escape and capture locally. Even now Borrello’s bill isn’t likely to be passed in its current form, but it will be hard for anyone to look at the Edward Kindt situation and not realize change has to be made.

It’s easy for some who serve in government to forget how their decisions affect other people. We’re pretty certain that’s happened with parole board members. They’re given a difficult decision. Should someone convicted of serious crimes be released from prison? Has the prisoner shown they can reintegrate into society? Is the person still a danger to others? Given the political climate in a state like New York, parole board members aren’t starting with a blank sheet of paper. Quite the opposite, it seems as if parole board members start their work with many of the answers already written in pen rather than pencil.

The outcry locally when Kindt was slated to be released to halfway houses in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties was visceral. Kindt hasn’t shown remorse for his actions, according to family members of Penny Brown, the woman Kindt murdered in 1999.

Parole board members have a role in the public safety community, but too often public safety is outweighed by other factors as they make decisions. Borrello’s bill would certainly make sure public safety weighs heavily on the minds of parole board members as they review an inmate’s request for parole. It certainly weighed heavily on many local residents’ minds last year.

If Democrats don’t agree that S.9872 is an answer, we’re open to hear their suggestions. One thing is clear after Kindt’s escape – the status quo doesn’t work.