The Community Safety Act

 

About | Timeline | City Council Votes| Resources

Legislation to Combat Discriminatory Policing & Hold the NYPD Accountable

In 2013, Communities United for Police Reform, working with allies across the city, helped pass the Community Safety Act (CSA), a landmark legislative package aimed at ending discriminatory policing and bringing real accountability to the NYPD. 

Signed into law in January 2014, the Community Safety Act has brought groundbreaking reform to the NYPD and has paved the way for future reforms efforts to bring about substantive change to policing in NYC. The passage of the CSA was a historic victory in the movement for police accountability and would not have been possible without the leadership of community groups and advocates, elected officials, and the thousands of individuals who signed petitions, mobilized to rallies, talked to their neighbors, and called their local City Council Members.

The CSA was an important advancement toward making New York City a safer place where the police treat everyone with dignity and respect.  Communities United for Police Reform is continuing our important work to ensure that the new laws are implemented.  We will also continue our efforts to increase transparency and accountability of the NYPD. 

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About the Legislation

The original CSA legislative package consisted of four bills set forth to:
[Please click each bill for a full description.]

In 2013, New Yorkers celebrated the passage of the CSA bills to strengthen and expand the ban on racial and other discriminatory profiling and establish independent oversight of the NYPD when the New York City Council overrode a veto by former Mayor Bloomberg.  Both bills went into effect on January 1, 2014.

*The other Community Safety Act bills were not voted on by the City Council in 2013.

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Timeline

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City Council Votes

Many New York City Council Members stood up for justice and voted to enact the Community Safety Act.  Here’s a comprehensive list of City Council Member and how they voted on the CSA bills.

Voted to override the Mayor's vetoes of both End NYPD Profiling and NYPD Oversight bills:
Brad Lander*, Lead sponsor of the Community Safety Act, Jumanne Williams*, Lead sponsor of the Community Safety Act, Charles Barron, Gale A. Brewer, Fernando Cabrera*, Maria Del Carmen Arroyo*, Margaret S. Chin*, Leroy G. Comrie, Jr., Inez E. Dickens*, Erik Martin Dilan, Daniel Dromm*, Mathieu Eugene*, Julissa Ferreras*, Helen D. Foster, Daniel R. Garodnick*, Sara M. Gonzalez, Robert Jackson, Letitia James, Andy King*, G. Oliver Koppell, Jessica S. Lappin, Stephen T. Levin*, Melissa Mark-Viverito*, Rosie Mendez*, Annabel Palma*, Diana Reyna, Donovan Richards*, Ydanis A. Rodriguez, Deborah L. Rose*, Jimmy G. Van Bramer*, Albert Vann, Mark S. Weprin*, Ruben Wills*, Darlene Mealy*

Voted to override the Mayor's veto of the NYPD Oversight bill (Intro 1079):
David G. Greenfield*, Karen Koslowitz*, Christine C. Quinn, Joel Rivera, James Vacca*

Voted against override of both bills:
Elizabeth Crowley*, Lewis Fidler, James F. Gennaro, Vincent J. Gentile, Vincent Ignizio*, Peter Koo*, Michael C. Nelson, James S. Oddo, Domenic M. Recchia, Jr., Eric Ulrich*

*Indicates current City Council Members, as of January 2014.

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Fact Sheets & Resources

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