Press Releases

For immediate release: November 3, 2014

Communities United for Police Reform Statement Re: Departures of Chief Banks & First Deputy Commissioner Pineiro

CPR Says Departures of Banks and Pineiro Signal Need for Systemic & Cultural Change at NYPD
"The recent departures of Police Chief Philip Banks and First Deputy Police Commissioner Rafael Pineiro raise concerns about how changing the NYPD as an institution will move from words to action. Ensuring that senior leadership of the NYPD, like all city agencies, become more representative of the City’s diverse communities is important as one indicator of commitment to change. At the same time, there are concrete changes to NYPD policy and culture that are necessary and long-overdue. Officers who brutalize New Yorkers must be held accountable by the department with timely and appropriate discipline. The NYPD must end discriminatory practices, such as unlawful searches, racially biased marijuana arrests and other examples of abusive ‘broken windows’ enforcement in communities of color,” said Priscilla Gonzalez.
For immediate release: October 31, 2014

Communities United for Police Reform Responds to Court Ruling in Stop-and-Frisk Case

STATEMENT FROM COMMUNITIES UNITED FOR POLICE REFORM

In response to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling to grant the City of New York's request to withdraw its appeal, deny police unions’ appeal to intervene, and to lift the stay on remedies in Floyd v. City of New York, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Priscilla Gonzalez.

For immediate release: October 15, 2014

Before Court Hearing Begins in Stop-and-Frisk Appeal, City Leaders, Law Enforcement Associations & Advocates Call for Court to End NYPD Unions’ to End Obstruction on Reforms

Group urges court to lift stay on reform process, oppose NYPD unions’ frivolous legal efforts to hold New Yorkers’ civil rights hostage to their contract negotiations; New Yorkers stress need for court-ordered reform process inclusive of affected communities and other stakeholders to enact lasting reforms beyond just drop in number of stops

New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, New York City Council members and other city leaders from the law enforcement and advocacy communities were joined by New Yorkers from across the city to urge the Court of Appeals to lift its stay on the court-ordered stop-and-frisk reform process and end NYPD unions’ obstruction.  The group, convening just prior to the beginning of the first court hearing with oral arguments on the appeal, also demanded that the police unions stop using frivolous legal maneuvers to block the beginning of the reform process, in which they would be a particip

For immediate release: September 25, 2014

CPR Statement: Incidents of police brutality in Sunset Park and across City

In response to recorded incidents of police brutality and excessive force by NYPD officers in Sunset Park and across New York City over the past several weeks, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Joo-Hyun Kang.
“The police brutality in Sunset Park over the last two weeks and the various other incidents of recorded police brutality against New Yorkers of color across our city after the killing of Eric Garner clearly demonstrate that these are not isolated incidents.
For immediate release: September 24, 2014

City Leaders, Law Enforcement Associations & Advocates Call for NYPD Unions to End Obstruction on Stop-and-Frisk Reforms, Stop Holding New Yorkers’ Rights Hostage to Contract Negotiations

Groups file briefs to oppose police unions’ endless legal efforts to continue Bloomberg administration’s stalling on reforms to protect New Yorkers’ fundamental civil rights

New Yorkers stress need for court-ordered reform process inclusive of affected communities and other stakeholders to enact lasting reforms beyond just drop in number of stops

For immediate release: September 8, 2014

Advocates, Community Groups Call for Inclusion of Specific NYPD Trainings, Accountability for Excessive Force and End to Disparate Enforcement at Council Hearing

Police reform advocates and community organizations from across the city testified at a City Council hearing on the NYPD’s plan to enhance officer trainings, calling for the inclusion of certain types of trainings and indicating that training alone is not a suitable solution. The advocates reiterated that clear, consistent and timely accountability for officers’ use of excessive force and systemic reforms to the disparate enforcement of minor infractions within communities of color are essential to prevent future tragedies like the death of Eric Garner.
For immediate release: August 27, 2014

CPR Statement: Quinnipiac Poll

In response to today's Quinnipiac poll of New York City residents on policing issues, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Priscilla Gonzalez.

“The issue isn’t whether New Yorkers want their quality of life issues addressed – everyone deserves that – or whether the police should enforce the law, but it is in how certain communities are unreasonably targeted for low-level offenses.

For immediate release: August 23, 2014

CPR Statements Re: March against Police Brutality on Staten Island

Re: March against Police Brutality on Staten Island

“Police brutality that has habitually victimized and killed people of color must come to an end. Justice must be served in the killings of Eric Garner, Ramarley Graham, Mike Brown and so many others. The double standards must end with police officers being held accountable for unjustifiable, violent acts in the same way that civilians are held accountable.

For immediate release: August 5, 2014

STATEMENT FROM COMMUNITIES UNITED FOR POLICE REFORM

In response to a press conference and statements by NYC police unions regarding the death of Eric Garner and incidents of police brutality, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Priscilla Gonzalez.

“While New Yorkers mourn Eric Garner’s death and demand justice, the same police unions that have consistently stood against common sense reforms are wildly lashing out and making appalling statements that blame and criminalize victims of abusive policing to distract from the real facts and issues. The truth is that they failed to protect officers, and thus the public, from a NYPD quota system that contributed to the explosion of stop-and-frisk abuses.

For immediate release: August 4, 2014

CPR Statement Re: Daily News Analysis of Summonses and NYS Department of Criminal Justice Services Data

In response to a Daily News analysis of summonses for minor infractions, and New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services data for the first five months of 2014, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from Priscilla Gonzalez.

 

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