In response to the City Council scheduling a hearing on the Right to Know Act legislative package and other legislation related to the police department, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Adilka Pimentel.
“We appreciate the de Blasio administration’s expressed desire to change its approach to policing, but Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Bratton's announcement today raises more questions than it answers. The mayor pointed to a new "neighborhood policing" approach as moving away from being ‘top-down’ and towards a more ‘grassroots’ oriented approach, yet communities and so many of the groups that devote themselves to uplifting them have not been meaningfully engaged in the development of this plan.
“This deal to increase the NYPD headcount seems like politics at its worst, and is not in the best interest of the safety or long-term needs of our communities. It's disappointing and perplexing that the city budget will increase the NYPD headcount when systemic problems with police accountability and culture that allow New Yorkers to be abused and killed have yet to be fixed - and while major needs in our communities are under-resourced.
“We applaud the tireless advocacy of the families who made this issue of unjust police killings of New Yorkers one that our state could no longer ignore, and credit Governor Cuomo for acknowledging the reality that their stories represent: a deep failure in our criminal justice system.
"We send our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Kalief Browder. We can only imagine the immense sadness they are experiencing, as we were devastated to learn of his passing.
In response to comments that NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton made yesterday disparaging parents and New Yorkers who record the police, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Verónica Bayetti Flores.
A day after the President Obama-appointed Task Force on 21st Century Policing released its final report, which endorsed policies advanced by the pending Right to Know Act in the New York City Council, advocates and elected officials called for New York to demonstration national leadership by scheduling a hearing and passing the legislation.
Call for action on recommendations mirroring proposals pending before New York State and New York City
In response to President Obama announcing the release of the final report by the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Joo-Hyun Kang.
In response to today's Quinnipiac poll on policing in New York City, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Priscilla Gonzalez:
In response to Mayor de Blasio deciding against increase of 1,000 to NYPD headcount in his Executive Budget, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Joo-Hyun Kang.
