Police unions try to block de Blasio’s stop-and-frisk deal

February 7, 2014
Azi Paybarah
Capital NY

Five police unions are trying to block Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposed settlement to resolve the federal court case over stop-and-frisk.

The unions filed a motion to stop the settlement, which would impose a federal monitor on the department for three years.

The motion, reported by Newsday this afternoon, was strongly criticized by an advocacy group that has been pushing City Hall to immediately adopt Judge Shira Scheindlin’s recommendations.

The Communities United for Police Reform spokeswoman Joo-Hyun Kang said the police unions are “continuing their baseless legal challenges and seeking to impede the process” and referred to the unions as “obstructionists.”

The police unions have petitioned the court to be granted formal recognition in the case, but have not yet been granted party status.

De Blasio announced on January 30 he was dropping the appeal filed by his predecessor, Michael Bloomberg. The announcement was cheered by advocates, but details of how the city would implement Scheindlin’s recommendations still needed to be finalized and approved by the court.

The day after de Blasio’s announcement, NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton extended an olive branch to the police unions, saying in a speech, “We will get it right together.”