Press Releases

For immediate release: February 16, 2016

CPR Statement re Court Monitor’s Stop-and-Frisk Report

In response to the second report filed by the court-appointed monitor overseeing reforms to the NYPD’s unconstitutional stop-and-frisk practices, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from Alyssa Aguilera, Co-Executive Director of VOCAL-NY.

“This is the second report where the court monitor is raising serious concerns about stop-and-frisks going unrecorded and being improperly documented. The fact that important changes are not being properly implemented by the department and enforced by supervising officers is unsurprising but of significant concern to impacted communities, given the NYPD's long history of insufficient accountability and transparency.

For immediate release: February 11, 2016

CPR Statement re: Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito's State of the City Criminal Justice Proposals

In response to the criminal justice reform proposals in New York City Council Speaker Mark-Viverito’s State of the City address, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Alyssa Aguilera, Political Director of VOCAL-NY.

“It’s good to see justice as such a central focus of Speaker Mark-Viverito’s State of the City address, and we welcome a focus on how we achieve it for New Yorkers. There were important proposals put forward today, and our hope is to work together with Speaker Mark-Viverito and the Council to achieve these goals, while at the same time passing critical police reforms like the Right to Know Act.

For immediate release: February 9, 2016

Elected Officials & Advocates Call for New York to Modernize Police Data Reporting & Transparency with Police-STAT

Leaders urge state to lead country in addressing national problem of states’ insufficient data reporting on police activity as way to improve justice and public safety
Advocates from Communities United for Police Reform were joined by Assemblyman Joseph Lentol and Senator Daniel Squadron – the sponsors of the Police Statistics and Transparency (Police-STAT) Act – to call for New York to modernize the reporting of data on policing activity throughout the state. The Police-STAT Act (A.7698/S.6001) would allow the state to capture and publicly report vital information about policing across the state.
For immediate release: February 2, 2016

Ramarley Graham’s Family & Supporters Hold All-Night Vigil outside Department of Justice on 4th Anniversary of His Killing by NYPD

New Yorkers gather for justice outside Preet Bharara’s office for vigil that continues overnight to demand Bharara prosecute cops who killed Ramarley Graham
On the four year anniversary of Ramarley Graham’s killing by NYPD officers, his parents – Constance Malcolm and Frank Graham – were joined by the family members of other New Yorkers killed by the NYPD to demand accountability in the killing of Ramarley Graham. Along with community supporters and many other New Yorkers, they called on Preet Bharara and the U.S. Department of Justice to give the case equal priority to those pursued against public corruption, and to prosecute NYPD officer Richard Haste – who shot and killed Graham – and all the officers involved in the incident and aftermath on the scene.
For immediate release: February 2, 2016

On 4th Anniversary of NYPD Killing of Ramarley Graham, His Famiy & Supporters Demand Accountability and Justice from Mayor de Blasio, NYPD

Families of New Yorkers killed by NYPD stand together to call for officers who killed Graham to be fired & held accountable
On the four year anniversary of Ramarley Graham’s killing by NYPD officers, his parents – Constance Malcolm and Frank Graham – were joined by the mother of Eric Garner, Gwen Carr, and the family members of other New Yorkers killed by the NYPD to demand accountability in the killing of Ramarley Graham. Along with elected officials and community supporters, they called on Mayor de Blasio and his administration to take action to remove the officers from the NYPD.
For immediate release: February 1, 2016

Police Reform Campaign, NYC Organizations & National Homeless Advocates Call for Official Investigation into NYPD’s Policing of Homeless New Yorkers

Groups request NYPD Inspector General conduct formal review

Communities United for Police Reform – with support from over 50 local advocacy/community organizations and national homeless advocacy organizations – requested that NYPD Inspector General Philip Eure conduct an official investigation of the NYPD’s policing and treatment of homeless New Yorkers.

For immediate release: January 25, 2016

CPR Responds to NYC Council Summons Reform, Hearing

In response to a New York City Council hearing today on a package of legislation collectively called the Criminal Justice Reform Act, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Monifa Bandele.

“The Council's summons reform is a positive first step to increase transparency and reduce the disproportionate legal consequences of low-level, non-criminal violations, though significant concerns and details must be addressed to avoid unintended negative impacts on New Yorkers, particularly low-income communities of color. It is also essential that the Council simultaneously advance front-end policing reforms, like the Right to Know Act, to end the policing abuses that make some New Yorkers and communities the disproportionate target of low-level enforcement in the first place.

For immediate release: January 14, 2016

NY Police Reform Campaign Responds to Gov. Cuomo’s Criminal Justice Proposals

Call Proposal to Replace Special Prosecutor a ‘Step Backwards’ & Urge Need for Comprehensive Data Reporting

In response to Governor Cuomo’s criminal justice proposals released after his State of the State and State Budget address, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from its Director of Organizing & Policy Michael Velarde.

For immediate release: January 12, 2016

Family of Ramarley Graham, Civil Rights Leaders & Elected Officials Call on Preet Bharara & DOJ to Act against Public Corruption in Police Killing

Over year after DOJ signaled full investigation into killing of unarmed 18-year-old Graham and near four years after killing, family and supporters demand case be given equal priority as Albany corruption

Over a year after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said it was undertaking a full investigation and more than two years since it first began reviewing the fatal police shooting of unarmed 18-year-old Ramarley Graham, his mother and father – Constance Malcolm and Franclot Graham – were joined by supporters to demand action and answers from U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.

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