Press Releases

For immediate release: June 25, 2021

New Policy Report, “Path To A Safe, Healthy And Just Recovery: Cut NYPD’s Budget & Invest In Communities” Provides Budget Demands To Create A Thriving NYC

Today, Communities United for Police Reform (CPR), the lead organization of the historic #NYCBudgetJustice campaign, released a policy report, Path to a Safe, Healthy, and Just Recovery: Cut NYPD’s Budget & Invest in Communities, calling for a reduction in the NYPD’s budget, scope, and size, and reallocation of funds to non-police health and safety strategies in New York City’s FY22 budget. Last year, Mayor de Blasio and Speaker Corey Johnson pedaled a $1 billion lie—that the NYPD’s budget would be cut by $1 billion in FY21—but that never happened, and CPR’s report details the extent of these fake cuts, as well as communities’ demands for the FY22 budget.
For immediate release: June 16, 2021

New Yorkers Demand City Council Last Year’s Promises of Cuts to NYPD's Budget & Reallocation Of Funds To Non-Police Health & Safety Solutions

Today, Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) members, Brooklyn Movement Center, Citizen Action of NY, DRUM, Girls for Gender Equity, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, Justice Committee, Make the Road New York, VOCAL-NY, and NYC Council Member Brad Lander, and others held a rally and press conference as part of the #NYCBudgetJustice campaign. Organizers, activists, and elected officials called on the City Council to:

For immediate release: June 10, 2021

Family of Kawaski Trawick Responds to CCRB Decision to Substantiate Charges Against NYPD Officers Brendan Thompson and Herbert Davis

Yesterday, the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) voted to substantiate misconduct charges against NYPD Officers Brendan Thompson and Herbert Davis, who killed Kawaski Trawick on April 14, 2019. The charges pertain to Officer Thompson’s and Davis’ abuse of authority, use of force, and other misconduct in their killing of Kawaski Trawick. NYPD officers Brendan Thompson and Herbert Davis killed Kawaski Trawick in just 112 seconds after arriving at his apartment.

For immediate release: June 5, 2021

Organizers Unveil Murals Redefining Safety and Investing in Communities

Communities United for Police Reform, Color of Change, and Medicine Walls unveiled a series of five 8-foot by 20-foot murals that envision highlighting community demands to defund the NYPD and invest in Black, Latinx, and communities of color that have been historically defunded.
For immediate release: May 26, 2021

Court Hears Oral Arguments in the Lawsuit Seeking Judicial Inquiry into Eric Garner’s Killing; Family and Organizers Demand de Blasio Drop the Appeal

The NYS Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, heard oral arguments in Carr v. de Blasio, the lawsuit seeking a historic judicial inquiry into Eric Garner’s killing, the cover-up that continues to this day, and the related refusal to fire officers who engaged in misconduct related to the killing.
For immediate release: May 25, 2021

Families of New Yorkers Killed by Police, Community Orgs, Elected Officials, March from Barclays Center to Bed-Stuy to Demand Justice for NYPD Killings

Groups demand to #DefundNYPD in FY22

Families whose loved ones have been killed by the NYPD, Communities United for Police Reform (CPR), Make the Road New York, Justice Committee, Brooklyn Movement Center, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, and other CPR member and partner groups, including Citizen Action of New York, Color of Change, Equality for Flatbush (E4F), Housing Works, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice (JFREJ), New York City Anti-Violence Project, New York Working Families Party, TakeRoot Justice, and VOCAL-NY, led a march, starting at Barclays Center to Herbert Von King Park in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn to demand the firing of NYPD officers who have killed New Yorkers and to demand Mayor Bill de Blasio, Speaker Corey Johnson and the City Council #DefundNYPD and redirect monies to community needs. The march marked the one-year anniversary of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
For immediate release: May 20, 2021

Family of Kawaski Trawick, Organizers, and Elected Officials, Demand Mayor de Blasio Fire NYPD Officers Brendan Thompson and Herbert Davis

Family and Organizers Demand CCRB Substantiate Charges Against Officers

Today, the family of Kawaski Trawick, the Justice Committee, and Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) met with the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) regarding the CCRB investigation of NYPD officers Brendan Thompson and Herbert Davis—the NYPD officers who killed Kawaski Trawick. The Trawick Family, the Justice Committee, and CPR were joined by Councilmember Antonio Reynoso and Councilmember Brad Lander for a media availability following the meeting to demand action and accountability for Kawaski’s killing. 
For immediate release: April 21, 2021

Judicial Inquiry into Eric Garner’s Death Could Begin on July 19

Following a discovery conference yesterday in Carr v. de Blasio, the Court scheduled July 19 as the potential date to begin a judicial inquiry into Eric Garner’s death. As part of the judicial inquiry, Mayor de Blasio, former NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill, and others could be called to take the stand and answer questions about City officials’ neglect and violations of duties related to the killing of Eric Garner and the lack of discipline of officers other than Daniel Pantaleo.
For immediate release: April 20, 2021

Ellen Trawick and Police Accountability Leaders Outraged by NYPD’s Refusal to Discipline Officers Responsible for Killing Kawaski Trawick in His Home

Family & Activists Call on CCRB to substantiate misconduct by Thompson & Davis

Today, it was made public by ProPublica that the NYPD found “no wrongdoing” in the 2019 killing of Kawaski Trawick by NYPD Officers Brendan Thompson and Herbert Davis.

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