Press Releases

For immediate release: July 31, 2014

Community Leaders & New Yorkers Impacted by Discriminatory Policing Demand Full Accountability for All NYPD officers Involved in Eric Garner’s Death, Zero Tolerance for All Police Brutality

Groups call for de Blasio Administration to do more than just new NYPD training to prevent police brutality, end discriminatory and abusive Broken Windows policing

New Yorkers impacted by discriminatory policing were joined by elected officials and community leaders on the steps of City Hall to demand that all NYPD officers involved in the incident leading to Eric Garner’s death be held fully accountable, and that the de Blasio administration enforce zero tolerance for all police brutality and halt discriminatory, abusive broken windows policing. “The police brutality that stole Eric Garner from his family, and has taken the lives of so many other Black and Latino New Yorkers must end,” said Priscilla Gonzalez of Communities United for Police Reform. “Serious change is needed that proddvides full accountability for all the officers responsible and ensures there is zero tolerance for all police brutality. The de Blasio administration must also come to terms with the role broken windows plays in the abuse of communities of color. The hyper-enforcement of minor infractions that disproportionately targets communities of color must end for police-community relations to truly improve in any meaningful way.”

For immediate release: July 28, 2014

CPR Statement: Re: Mayor de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner Bratton’s Statements on the Eric Garner Incident

In response to comments made by Mayor de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner Bratton on the death of Eric Garner at a media availability today, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Priscilla Gonzalez.

“Eric Garner’s death did not happen in a vacuum and the division between police and communities was not only the product of the 12 years of the Bloomberg administration’s stop-and-frisk abuses. It is a longer-term problem caused by hyper-aggressive broken windows policing that has unjustly targeted communities of color for over 20 years, led to dozens of deadly police brutality cases and stop-and-frisk abuses perpetrated largely against Black and Latino New Yorkers.

For immediate release: July 18, 2014

CPR Statement: The Death of Eric Garner from NYPD Encounter, Chokehold

Re: Death of Eric Garner from NYPD Encounter, Chokehold

In response to the death of Eric Garner who was put in a chokehold by a NYPD officer, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Joo-Hyun Kang.

 

For immediate release: July 17, 2014

CPR Statement: The Appointment of Richard D. Emery, Esq. as Chair of the Civilian Complaint Review Board

In response to the appointment of Richard D. Emery, Esq. as Chair of the Civilian Complaint Review Board, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Joo-Hyun Kang.

“We applaud the appointment of Richard D. Emery as chair of the Civilian Complaint Review Board.  His strong, consistent commitment to justice has challenged government action when necessary and fought to uphold the fundamental civil rights of New Yorkers. His track record includes a significant history challenging NYPD brutality and misconduct, as well as participation in efforts to hold police accountable to the public.  We look forward to working with him in his new role to ensure that the CCRB becomes a more effective entity.”

 

For immediate release: June 18, 2014

CPR Statement: Court Decision Rejecting NYPD Unions’ Legal Challenge to Community Safety Act Anti-Profiling Law

In response to the court decision today rejecting NYPD unions’ legal challenge to the Community Safety Act anti-profiling law (Local Law 71 of 2013), Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Joo-Hyun Kang.


“Justice has been upheld with the court rejecting the baseless legal arguments advanced by NYPD unions and the former Bloomberg administration against city law that prohibits bias-based police profiling. New Yorkers know that it should be unlawful for police to target them solely based on who they are – whether race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, housing or immigration status – and today the court confirmed it.”

For immediate release: June 2, 2014

Campaign That Pushed for NYPD Inspector General Calls for Investigations into Long-Standing & Continuing Problematic Practices, Policies

Communities United for Police Reform releases report calling for IG investigations of discriminatory policing practices, including marijuana arrests, unlawful searches, Muslim surveillance, and use of excessive and deadly force
For immediate release: May 1, 2014

CPR Statement: Recent Spate of NYPD Officers Involved in Alcohol-Related Shootings and DWI's

In response to three alcohol-fueled shooting incidents within the last week and several DWIs over the past couple of months by NYPD officers, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Priscilla Gonzalez.

STATEMENT FROM COMMUNITIES UNITED FOR POLICE REFORM

Re: Recent Spate of NYPD Officers Involved in Alcohol-Related Shootings and DWIs

“These unfortunate incidents highlight the reality that a lack of accountability at the NYPD has enabled a culture in which some officers believe they are above the law. The long-term task of establishing meaningful accountability for the police department is essential to repairing the relationship between communities and the NYPD.”

BACKGROUND

For immediate release: April 10, 2014

CPR Statement: Mayor de Blasio’s First 100 Days and Stop-and-Frisk Reform

In response to the 100th day of the de Blasio administration and Mayor de Blasio’s speech at the Cooper Union today, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Priscilla Gonzalez

“We applaud Mayor de Blasio for taking a more productive approach and positive steps by agreeing to drop Bloomberg-era legal challenges to stop-and-frisk reforms and establishing an adequately funded inspector general's office. Stop-and-frisk abuses and discriminatory policing are engrained problems with long legacies of damage to the relationship between communities and police.

For immediate release: March 28, 2014

Statement from CPR on Appointment of NYPD Inspector General

In response to Department of Investigations Commissioner Mark Peters appointing Philip Eure as New York City’s first inspector general for the NYPD, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement.

“Today’s appointment of Philip Eure as the first NYPD inspector general is a step towards beginning the process of ensuring true accountability and oversight for the NYPD, something that has been absent in our city. Members of the Communities United for Police Reform campaign and allies strongly advocated for the establishment of this position because we know that the NYPD cannot police itself.

For immediate release: March 21, 2014

CPR Statement: Re: City Council’s Public Safety Budget Hearing on NYPD

In response to the City Council Committee on Public Safety’s Preliminary Budget hearing that featured testimony from the NYPD, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Priscilla Gonzalez.

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