Press Releases

For immediate release: June 13, 2018

State Legislators & Advocates Call for Repeal of New York’s Police Secrecy Law That is among Worst in Nation

Problems with state law 50-a have recently been highlighted because of NYC Mayor de Blasio & NYPD’s frequently changing, new interpretations to hide more and more information on police misconduct

Several state legislators joined civil rights and advocacy organizations from across the state to announce support and call for repeal of New York State’s police secrecy law, 50-a. It is one of the worst laws in the nation blocking police transparency, and has seen an expanded use by political and police officials over the past four years to conceal basic and vital information about police misconduct and discipline from the public. Nowhere has this been more apparent than in New York City with the NYPD during the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio.

For immediate release: June 12, 2018

NY Police Reform Campaign Responds to State Assembly Passage of Police Transparency & Accountability Legislation

Legislative body passed bill to codify and strengthen executive order establishing Office of New York Attorney General as special prosecutor in police killings, and requirement for the state to collect data on policing by local departments across state

In response to the New York State Assembly passing special prosecutor legislation (A.5617-Perry) today and a police data transparency bill (A.5946A – Lentol) a few days ago, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Kesi Foster, a lead organizer at Make the Road New York.

For immediate release: June 8, 2018

Former Tennis Pro James Blake Responds to Report That NYPD Officer Who Tackled Him & Placed Him in Handcuffs Only Lost Five Vacation Days

Final discipline was only half of what NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board recommended

In response to a New York Daily News report revealing that Officer James Frascatore only received a punishment of losing five vacation days for tackling and slamming James Blake to the ground before improperly placing him in handcuffs outside of his Manhattan hotel in 2015, Blake released the following statement.

For immediate release: June 8, 2018

Civil Rights, Community Groups Welcome NYPD Spying Report

Today, a coalition of community and civil rights organizations welcomed a report on the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD) intelligence operations from Stephen Robinson, the Civilian Representative on the NYPD’s “Handschu Committee.” Last year, Mayor de Blasio appointed Robinson as the Civilian Representative, implementing reforms resulting from community mobilization in reaction to widespread NYPD spying on Muslim communities.

For immediate release: June 8, 2018

City & State Elected Officials, Civil Rights, Good Government & Community Groups, & New Yorkers Impacted by Police Brutality Call for Repeal of State Police Secrecy Law That is One of Worst in Nation

Group condemns NYPD’s misuse of state law 50-a with frequently changing and new interpretations, urge Mayor de Blasio to support concrete policy reform that repeals state law

A diverse coalition of elected officials, civil rights, community and good government groups, and New Yorkers impacted by police brutality called for the repeal of New York State’s police secrecy law, 50-a. It is one of the worst laws in the nation blocking police transparency, and the groups also criticized the NYPD’s misuse and reinterpretation of the law under Mayor de Blasio, urging his support for reform that repeals the law.

For immediate release: May 15, 2018

CPR Responds to Release of Report by Facilitator of Stop-and-Frisk Court-Ordered Reform Process

In response to the filing of a final report by the Facilitator of the court-ordered reform process to stop-and-frisk to the court, Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) released the following statement from spokesperson Linda Tigani of Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, whose member was the lead plaintiff in Floyd v. New York. CPR was a named stakeholder in the Court’s ruling in Floyd v. New York, Ligon v. New York and Davis v.

For immediate release: April 20, 2018

Statements by Parents of Saheed Vassell & Brooklyn Movement Center on Day of His Funeral

The parents of Saheed Vassell, Lorna and Eric Vassell, released the following statement on the day of the funeral and burial of their son, Saheed.

For immediate release: April 20, 2018

Mother of Eric Garner, Gwen Carr, Responds to Reports on DOJ Disagreement

In response to a report in the New York Times that top Justice Department officials are disagreeing on whether to charge NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo for killing Eric Garner by chokehold, the mother of Garner, Gwen Carr, released the following statement.

For immediate release: April 12, 2018

One Week after Killing of Saheed Vassell, His Family, Other Families of New Yorkers Killed by NYPD & Community Members Demand Transparency from de Blasio/NYPD

Group demanded de Blasio administration end NYPD’s propaganda campaign to justify killing and fake transparency, called for real transparency through release of information

Community members also called for mayor and NYPD to stop misleading public by giving false reasons on why they won’t release information on officers

A week after the killing of Saheed Vassell by NYPD officers in Brooklyn, Vassell’s family was joined by the family members of other New Yorkers killed by NYPD officers and community members to demand real transparency from Mayor de Blasio and the NYPD. They condemned the efforts by the de Blasio administration and NYPD over the past week to engage in a campaign to justify the killing by criminalizing Vassell and focusing public attention on him, rather than provide transparency about the actions of the officers who shot and killed him.

For immediate release: April 5, 2018

Brooklyn Movement Center Responds to NYPD Killing Saheed Vassell

In response to the NYPD killing of Saheed Vassell in broad daylight on Wednesday, Brooklyn Movement Center, a member of Communities United for Police Reform, released the following statement from Deputy Director Anthonine Pierre:

"Our condolences are with the family and loved ones of Saheed Vassell, who was killed by NYPD on the 50th anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. Saheed Vassell should not have been killed and it’s completely unacceptable that families in New York City and across the nation continue to be harmed by police violence – this being at least the fourth such killing in the past 9 months in New York City (Dwayne Jeune, Miguel Richards and Mario Sanabria). The New York Attorney General's office's investigation should be swift, thorough, and transparent. 

Pages