CPR Responds to NYPD Killing of Ariel Galarza in the Bronx

“The NYPD’s killing of Ariel Galarza – another Bronx resident reportedly experiencing an emotional crisis within their own home, just two weeks after killing Deborah Danner – should make clear that simply new words by Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner O’Neill but with status quo actions are unacceptable. There is clearly a longstanding problem with the police department handling these incidents, and Tasers are not a safe weapon of force. This is at least the third New Yorker to be killed by Taser in the last year and a half, which raises grave concerns about the NYPD, and other city agencies, disseminating these weapons more widely to officers.

“The Attorney General’s special prosecutor should do a full investigation into this killing, and not defer to the Bronx District Attorney. There is little faith that the NYPD will do an unbiased investigation or will take meaningful disciplinary action to hold officers, supervisors or top officials accountable. These are clearly not exceptions or anomalies, but connected to systemic problems.

“The de Blasio administration has failed to address the systemic lack of accountability within the NYPD for officers and high-ranking officials, and in some cases has taken steps backward through its misuse of 50-a. Nearly five years after Ramarley Graham was killed by NYPD officers in the Bronx, not one of the 12+ officers involved in the range of misconduct has been held accountable. Placing an officer on modified duty is not accountability, and until this grave accountability problem is fixed, New Yorkers will continue to experience police abuses.”

BACKGROUND

Ronald Singleton, July 2014: http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/30/justice/new-york-police-death/

David Felix, April 2015: http://www.vice.com/read/how-a-mentally-ill-haitian-immigrant-got-killed-by-new-york-police-625

Denis Reyes, May 2015: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx-man-died-custody-drinking-sources-article-1.2224115

Mario Ocasio, June 2015: http://www.newsweek.com/nypd-police-involved-death-taser-new-york-police-department-382325

Anthony Paul, July 2015: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/family-bronx-man-died-cops-tasered-sues-nyc-article-1.2567220

Richard Gonzalez, March 2016: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/suspected-cocaine-addict-died-police-handcuffs-article-1.2568676

Deborah Danner, October, 18, 2016

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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 policing practices based on cooperation and respect– not discriminatory targeting and harassment. CPR brings 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 unfairly targeted the most by the NYPD. CPR is fighting for reforms that will promote community safety while ensuring that the NYPD protects and serves all New Yorkers.