Communities United for Police Reform Responds to NYC Council Committee Vote on Police Reform Bill (Intro 541-C) & Bill That Undermines Police Accountability (Intro 182-D)

In response to the New York City Council Committee on Public Safety passing Intro 541-C and 182-D, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Monifa Bandele.

“While we are happy that Council Member Reynoso’s Intro 541-C passed, it’s disappointing that the Council’s Public Safety Committee decided to ignore the voices of New Yorkers directly impacted by police abuses, family members of New Yorkers killed by police over past decades, law enforcement associations of color, and over 200 civil rights, community, and legal organizations who oppose Intro 182-D. This version of the bill eliminates the most essential protections for New Yorkers in the majority of policing interactions, and has been advanced with only the support of those who obstructed it for the past four years. It isn’t sweeping, it isn’t reform and it isn’t progress – it’s a step backwards for New York City that will undermine police accountability.

“Progressive, effective, and responsible leadership means working in tandem with communities to be responsive to New Yorkers whose lives are impacted the most by laws and policies. Yet the Public Safety Committee decided to discard the voices of young people, communities of color, immigrants, women, LGBT New Yorkers and others who live these policing encounters as reality every day. For them, these aren’t hypothetical scenarios that end with a discussion or hearing at City Hall. They are dangerous, frightening and all too common occurrences while people are on their way to work, school or anywhere throughout this city, and they only end when the officer in power makes that decision.

“It’s been disconcerting to hear elected officials at the highest levels demean and marginalize the work and insight of community members who are advocating for their rights and safety, and who brought these bills to the Council in the first place. It’s not lost on anyone that the timing of this all or nothing deal to gut Intro 182 was presented and moved forward with no time left in this legislative session, and without any communication with advocates – that isn’t lawmaking that is responsive to communities, but rather deal-making responsive to politics. Top-down change will never be effective and today is a sad day for the hopes of progressive government in New York City. We hope more Council members will vote for the right thing to do on substance, rather than for other reasons, and oppose Intro 182-D tomorrow while passing Intro 541-C.”

About Communities United for Police Reform

Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) is an unprecedented campaign to end discriminatory policing practices in New York, and to build a lasting movement that promotes public safety and policing practices based on cooperation and respect– not discriminatory targeting and harassment.

CPR brings together a movement of community members, lawyers, researchers and activists to work for change. The partners in this campaign come from all 5 boroughs, from all walks of life and represent many of those unfairly targeted the most by the NYPD. CPR is fighting for reforms that will promote community safety while ensuring that the NYPD protects and serves all New Yorkers.

Learn more: http://changethenypd.org/
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