Right To Know Act News

Tonight: ‘Jews for Black Lives Action & Vigil’ To Call For Police Reform

07/28/2016
Park Slope Stoop

The organization Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) will hold a rally this evening (Thursday, July 28) which will begin at 7pm in front of the Barclays Center. The rally will then proceed down Atlantic Avenue towards Brooklyn Heights. The march will culminate in front of the Brooklyn Detention Complex at 275 Atlantic Avenue, where mourners plan to light Yarzheit candles for those lost to police violence.

New York City Policing Reform, Derailed

07/25/2016
New York Times

Two years ago this month, Eric Garner was gang-tackled and smothered by New York City police officers on a Staten Island sidewalk. His death helped to spark a national outcry and a push for better ways of policing the police. Among the reforms sought by the New York City Council are two bills to protect civilians from being harassed and unlawfully searched.

For immediate release: July 13, 2016

On 2-Year Mark of Eric Garner’s Killing, Speaker Mark-Viverito’s NYPD Side-Deal Criticized As Charade

Moms of Garner & Ramarley Graham’s, advocates and council members committed to real reform announce continued push for Right to Know Act passage into law, ignoring Speaker-NYPD agreement

Community members convey risk in delaying police accountability reforms, highlight NYC as dangerous model of political obstruction that allows police abuses, brutality and killings to continue nationally

For immediate release: July 12, 2016

Communities United for Police Reform, Mother of Eric Garner Criticize Effort to Avoid Vote on Right to Know Act Police Reform Legislation

In response to a report that NYC Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced that the Right to Know Act legislation would not be considered for passage by the Council and instead allow the NYPD to handle it internally, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Anthonine Pierre, lead community organizer at Brooklyn Movement Center.

Council to Hear One of Two Police Accountability Bills

06/27/2016
Gotham Gazette

Following on the heels of passing the Criminal Justice Reform Act, which diverts the prosecution of a number of low-level nonviolent offenses to civil rather than criminal avenues, the City Council will hear a bill on Tuesday that also addresses criminal justice reform, but this time by targeting bad actors within the NYPD.

New York Council Approves Bills to Divert Minor Offenders From Court System

05/25/2016
New York Times
In a move aimed at dampening the impact of “broken windows” policing, the New York City Council on Wednesday passed bills to create a civil process for some of the most common low-level infractions observed by police officers, including public drinking and public urination.
For immediate release: May 25, 2016

CPR Responds to City Council Summons Reform

In response to the City Council’s expected passage of the Criminal Justice Reform Act, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Monifa Bandele.

“The CJRA has potential to advance needed criminal justice reform, but it is not police reform and does not disrupt discriminatory broken windows policing that propels racial disparities in policies and outcomes. Whether its impact is beneficial to New Yorkers in the long-run lies in the details, since the NYPD retains ultimate control over most of its implementation and the direction given to officers.

Public Drinking And Urination No Longer Necessarily Criminal Offenses In NYC

05/25/2016
Gothamist

The City Council today enacted a series of bills that will give police officers the discretion to steer certain low-level broken windows offenses like drinking in public, littering, and public urination to civil court, rather than criminal court.

"Nobody who has littered or made excessive noise... should bear the brunt of the criminal justice system," said Queens Council Member Rory Lancman, a bill sponsor, on Wednesday.

Our right to know

05/19/2016
New York Amsterdam News

It is ironic that many New Yorkers are not aware of the Right to Know Act, the legislative package that aims to protect them while promoting communication, transparency and accountability between them and the New York Police Department.

Thanks to the Communities United for Police Reform, the Right to Know Act is becoming better known. Even so, there is much more our citizens need to know if they want to be treated with dignity and respect when interacting with the police.

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