Press Releases

For immediate release:
April 7, 2017

CPR Responds to NYPD Body Camera Policy

In response to the NYPD releasing its final body camera policy for approval by the court, Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) released the following statement by spokesperson Mandela Jones.

“The NYPD’s newly released body camera policy fails New Yorkers and police transparency – it won’t help address police brutality, abuses and unjust killings of New Yorkers. Body cameras are no solution or substitute for accountability, but they can enhance transparency – however critical flaws in the policy undermine efforts to hold police accountable for brutality, and instead provide mechanisms to protect abusive officers instead of the public.
For immediate release:
March 30, 2017

CPR Responds to Court Decision on City’s Appeal of Lower Court Ruling That City Should Release Pantaleo’s CCRB Misconduct Summary

In response to a court ruling today in an appeal by the de Blasio administration to a previous lower court ruling that it should release the CCRB misconduct summary of NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who killed Eric Garner, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Loyda Colon, Co-Director of the Justice Committee.

“The failures and inconsistencies of this administration on police reform and protecting our communities from police brutality become worse and worse every day. If the de Blasio administration believes in police transparency, their actions need to start matching their rhetoric. The de Blasio administration turned its back on our communities and police transparency when it decided to change policy related to disciplinary trial outcomes and police misconduct records, and then appeal the first court’s ruling that it release a summary of substantiated misconduct complaints against Pantaleo.

For immediate release:
March 29, 2017

CPR Statement re: Mayor de Blasio’s Announcement on Re-Entry Services for People Incarcerated

In response to Mayor de Blasio’s announcement today about increased support for re-entry programs in the city’s correctional facilities, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Mark Winston Griffith, Executive Director of Brooklyn Movement Center.

“It’s positive that the mayor is increasing support for re-entry services, but this administration needs to address the front-end, drastic racial disparities in policing that continue to criminalize communities of color. The mayor talks a lot about overall numbers but continues failing to address the racial inequalities of who remains impacted.

For immediate release:
March 29, 2017

Statement from Ramarley Graham's Mother, Constance Malcolm, Re: Commissioner O’Neill Claiming He Plans to Meet with Her & Mayor de Blasio Stating That He Would Meet with Her

Constance Malcolm, the mother of Ramarley Graham, released the following statement in response to NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill telling news outlets he plans to meet with her and Mayor de Blasio claiming that he would meet with her, seemingly portraying her criticism as obscured by tragedy, and that NYPD training has solved the problem of police killings and brutality. 

“Through their actions, it seems that the Mayor and Commissioner are more concerned with how they look in the media, instead of directly dealing with the concerns I have as a mother whose son was killed by their NYPD over 5 years ago..."

For immediate release:
March 26, 2017

Mother of Ramarley Graham Responds to Richard Haste Resigning from NYPD

In response to Richard Haste being allowed to resign, Ramarley Graham’s mother Constance Malcolm issued the following statement.

“My son Ramarley was gunned down and murdered by NYPD Officer Richard Haste over 5 years ago. Richard Haste should have been in prison but instead of even firing him, the de Blasio administration let him resign. This is just another example that the de Blasio administration doesn't care about justice and accountability. Every step of the way, the Mayor and NYPD have dragged their heels and have refused to hold officers accountable for murdering my son.

For immediate release:
March 24, 2017

Reform Campaign Condemns de Blasio’s Unilateral Appointment of Civilian Monitor for Disregarding New Yorkers Targeted by NYPD’s Unwarranted Political and Religious Surveillance

In response to Mayor de Blasio unilaterally appointing a civilian representative to the Handschu Committee to prevent any further improper and unwarranted surveillance of political activities and Muslim communities by the NYPD, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Mark Winston Griffith, the executive director of the Brooklyn Movement Center.

“Mayor de Blasio has once again disregarded communities impacted by the NYPD’s abusive and discriminatory policing, prioritizing announcements above substance. When New Yorkers are the subject of unwarranted surveillance based on their political activities or religion, it doesn’t build trust to secretly appoint and announce an independent civilian monitor without input from the communities who forced the appointment of such an official by the courts in the first place.

For immediate release:
March 2, 2017

Ramarley Graham’s Mother Asks Mayor de Blasio Why His Administration / NYPD Continues to Withhold Information from Family on Her Son’s Killing

The mother of Ramarley Graham, Constance Malcolm, was joined by community supporters to announce their filing an appeal of the de Blasio administration and NYPD’s blanket denial of their FOIL request for records pertaining to the killing of her son. The move could represent the preview of a legal battle against the de Blasio administration into records related to Ramarley Graham’s killing that his family has sought from Mayor de Blasio for several years.

For immediate release:
March 1, 2017

NYC Mayor & NYPD Commissioner’s Rhetoric Not Matching Reality

NYPD Collaboration with ICE, Deception on NYPD/Broken Windows’ Contribution to Immigration Enforcement, Continued Brutality and Misconduct, Harassment of Muslim Officer

 
As Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner O’Neill prepare to tout February’s crime statistics, there are a range of incidents/examples that contradict their rhetoric.
For immediate release:
February 24, 2017

NYPD’s Alleged/Substantiated Abuses, Misconduct, Racial Disparities, and Lack of Accountability & Transparency Continue in January under de Blasio/O’Neill

de Blasio continues to inexplicably insist that training and ‘neighborhood policing’ are resolution to NYPD abuses/misconduct, in which officers abuse authority and violate oath to protect and serve

As Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner O’Neill tout January crime statistics, the continued incidents and examples of alleged and substantiated abuses, misconduct, racial disparities, and lack of accountability remain.

For immediate release:
February 24, 2017

CPR Responds to NYPD Commissioner O’Neill’s Claims of Reform Accomplishments

 
In response to NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill claiming the department’s reform accomplishments are not being recognized by the public, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Monifa Bandele.
 
“New Yorkers will recognize change, but policing abuses by the NYPD continue day after day and neither Commissioner O’Neill nor Mayor de Blasio have done anything to address that by fixing the department’s broken accountability for misconduct and brutality and ending discriminatory

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