Press Releases

For immediate release:
April 30, 2015

Police Reform Campaign Responds to Mayor de Blasio’s Comments on Last Night’s Freddie Gray Protests

In response to Mayor de Blasio’s comments on last night’s protests in New York City, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Priscilla Gonzalez.

“It’s unacceptable that Mayor de Blasio refused to take responsibility for the systemic lack of respect that the NYPD showed for the rights of peaceful protesters last night by being the ones inciting abuse and violence against New Yorkers. Our communities have been brutalized and killed by police despite following the law for decades, and last night New Yorkers were once again brutalized by the NYPD for simply protesting.

For immediate release:
April 16, 2015

Diverse Alliance of Organizations Urges City Council to Drop Proposal for 1,000 New NYPD Officers

Groups call for fundamental reforms to fix broken police accountability system and culture that promotes discriminatory and abusive policing; In highlighting critical funding needs of communities, appeal presses for more holistic and far-sighted view to public health, safety and investment
A group of nearly sixty groups that represent a diverse number of communities across New York City sent a letter to Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and the City Council to oppose their proposal to increase the NYPD headcount, urging that they instead prioritize vital police reforms and community funding needs.
 
The letter states, “Adding 1,000 new positions within the
For immediate release:
March 31, 2015

Communities United for Police Reform Responds to NYPD Inspector General Annual Report

In response to the Office of the Inspector General for the NYPD releasing its First Annual Report, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Joo-Hyun Kang.

“It is a positive step forward for New Yorkers’ safety and civil rights that Inspector General Eure has been staffing up to be able to fulfill the office's full mandate, and we look forward to their forthcoming reports.

For immediate release:
March 17, 2015

Communities, Families Beset by Policing & Police Killings Make Call in Albany for New York State to Lead Nationally with Accountability & Transparency Reforms

New Yorkers call for governor and legislature to advance comprehensive police data reporting, special prosecutor

Community groups and the surviving family members of New Yorkers killed by police were in the capital to call for Albany leaders to set a national example by advancing comprehensive reforms to address the national crisis of failed police accountability and transparency. Specifically, the group called for the governor and legislative leaders to adopt a requirement for comprehensive collection and reporting of police data by departments across the state within the state budget, as well as for the governor to issue an executive order to establish a special prosecutor for police killings.

For immediate release:
March 11, 2015

Elected Officials & Advocates Call for Improvements, More Transparency in Gov. Cuomo’s Police Reporting Proposal

Community leaders call for New York to take national lead in police data reporting following recommendation by Obama taskforce on policing

As the New York State Legislature held hearings on criminal justice reform, New York State senators and assembly members joined civil rights advocates and community groups to announce support for strengthening Governor Cuomo’s proposal to require reporting on policing data.

For immediate release:
March 3, 2015

“Community Policing” Can’t Coincide with Discriminatory Broken Windows Policing

Community groups: proposal to add 1,000 officers won’t produce community policing, but instead counterproductive impact

Community groups from across New York City testified at a City Council Public Safety Committee hearing to challenge the idea that community policing was being undertaken or beginning in neighborhoods.

For immediate release:
March 3, 2015

Police Reform Advocates Call for NYC Council, Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo to Heed Specific Recommendations of President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing

NYC Council Should Pass the Right to Know Act; Governor Cuomo Should Assign Special Prosecutor & Mandate Comprehensive Demographic Data Reporting

In response to the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing recommending that police officers be required to seek consent for searches when no legal justification exists for them, independent prosecutors be assigned in cases of police brutality and killings, and demographic data on stops, frisks searches, summons, arrest, and use of force, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Joo-Hyun Kang.
 

For immediate release:
February 24, 2015

Communities United for Police Reform Responds to NYPD Commissioner Bratton’s Comments on History/Policing

In response to Police Commissioner Bill Bratton’s reported comments today that included “many of the worst parts of black history would have been impossible without police,” Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Priscilla Gonzalez.
 

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