In the Media

Judge slams NYPD's delay of slapping cops in Ramarley Graham slay

12/27/2017
New York Daily News

A judge has criticized the NYPD for delaying disciplining officers involved in the fatal shooting of Ramarley Graham in 2012 and ordered the department to release documents related to the tragedy.

Justice Manuel Mendez signed his decision on Dec. 22 — the same day NYPD Sgt. Scott Morris and Officer John McLoughlin were finally reprimanded for their roles in the Bronx shooting of the unarmed 18-year-old.

NYPD Wrong To Keep Ramarley Graham Shooting Records Secret: Court

12/27/2017
Patch

The NYPD must release a large batch of records related to a cop's 2012 killing of Bronx teenager Ramarley Graham, a Manhattan judge ruled Wednesday.

Siding with Graham's parents and police-reform advocacy groups in a Freedom of Information lawsuit, state Supreme Court Justice Manuel J. Mendez said the NYPD was wrong to say every document Graham's parents requested last year was exempt from disclosure under state public records laws.

Two Bronx cops punished for roles in Ramarley Graham shooting

12/22/2017
New York Daily News

Two cops are being disciplined for their roles in the shooting death of an unarmed Bronx man, police sources said Thursday.

NYPD Sgt. Scott Morris and Officer John McLoughlin faced departmental charges in connection with the killing of 18-year-old Ramarley Graham in February 2012. On Thursday, their cases were settled.

Morris will be suspended for 30 days without pay, then will resign without the “good guy” letter that would have allowed him to carry a weapon, sources said.

Police accountability bills fall short for some activists

12/21/2017
News12

Two bills on police accountability passed by the City Council this week, but some activists who originally pushed for them say they aren't satisfied.

Intro 541 of the Right to Know Act requires officers to clearly explain that searches are completely voluntary and only allows searches if consent is given. The second bill, Intro 182, requires officers to identify themselves, offer a business card and provide an explanation for police activity.

NYC Council Passes Police Reform Bills Amid Opposition to Last-Minute Compromise

12/19/2017
Observer

The City Council passed the Right to Know Act, a package of police reform bills, despite opposition from some Council members over a last-minute compromise made to appease the NYPD.

One bill, sponsored by Bronx Councilman Ritchie Torres, a speaker candidate, mandates that cops to identify themselves when making a stop. This bill was changed to have the identification requirement only cover stops involving suspicion of criminal activity. The other bill, sponsored by Brooklyn Councilman Antonio Reynoso, requires cops to ask for permission before searching an individual.

Right To Know Act Passes NYC Council Despite Opposition

12/19/2017
Patch

The New York City Council passed a pair of landmark police-reform bills Tuesday — one by a wide margin and one more narrowly — that aim to impose strict rules on how NYPD cops search and question New Yorkers.

Introduction 541-C, which would require the NYPD to instruct officers on how to get consent from people they search without a warrant, passed 37 votes to 13 at the Council's last meeting of the year. The bill would also require the Police Department to develop policies for recording such searches and explicitly telling civilians that they can refuse to be searched.

One step forward, two steps back: Getting police reform right

12/18/2017
City and State New York

This Tuesday, New York City Council members will vote on the two-headed package of bills known as the Right To Know Act. The original two pieces of legislation, that are now versions, Intro 541-C and Intro 182-D, were drafted in an effort to improve police accountability, communication and transparency during police encounters.

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