At a New York City Council Hearing Today, Racial Justice Leaders Called for Deep NYPD Budget Cuts, Redirection of Resources Toward Agencies that Can Drive an Equitable Recovery for New Yorkers Hit Hardest by COVID-19

New York – Today, leaders of Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) called for deep cuts to the NYPD’s $6 billion bloated budget, and a redirection of resources toward underfunded city agencies that will need to play a large role in driving an equitable recovery for New Yorkers hit hardest by COVID-19. 

During Mayor de Blasio's tenure, city government has spent far more on the NYPD than departments responsible for public health, homeless services, youth development, and other services and programs that help vulnerable New Yorkers. That disturbing disparity is exacerbated in the proposed FY21 executive budget. 

The city's overinvestment in policing and underinvestment in public health, housing, and other critical needs helps explain why COVID-19 has taken such a toll on Black, Latinx and other communities of color. 

“Everyone in New York City has been impacted in some way by COVID-19.  But Black, Latinx and other communities of color have been disproportionately devastated by a combination of high numbers of coronavirus-related deaths, COVID-19 infections, economic devastation, and abusive policing.  The deep inequalities that existed in our city before COVID-19 have been starkly revealed and exacerbated by the pandemic,” said Anthonine Pierre, a leader of Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) and Deputy Director of Brooklyn Movement Center.

“For communities of color to have a chance at an equitable recovery from the devastation we have faced in this pandemic, we need a budget that puts major financial resources into our public health infrastructure, social safety net, and programs that will enable our communities not only survive but thrive through and after the pandemic.  To fund an equitable recovery from COVID-19, the City Council must reduce the NYPD’s massive, non-transparent and unaccountable budget as part of an overall budget justice strategy,” said Pierre.

CPR's complete testimony to the City Council and more background on #NYCBudgetJustice is available at https://bit.ly/3ebqVUe.

###

About Communities United for Police Reform

Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) is an unprecedented campaign to end discriminatory policing practices in New York, and to build a lasting movement that promotes public safety and reduces reliance on policing. CPR runs coalitions of over 200 local, statewide and national organizations, bringing together a movement of community members, lawyers, researchers and activists to work for change. The partners in this campaign come from all 5 boroughs, from all walks of life and represent many of those most unfairly targeted by the NYPD.