Communities United for Police Reform slams Commissioner Shea’s announcement of new NYPD initiative to racially profile and track youth

(January 29, 2020) – In response to NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea’s announcement of a new NYPD initiative to hire “youth coordination officers to track teens in their precinct”, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from Andrea Colon, CPR spokesperson and Rockaway Youth Task Force Lead Organizer:

"We are disgusted at Commissioner Shea and the NYPD’s latest attempt to expand the role of policing in New York City. Shea’s initiative will not make New York City’s communities or young people safer, but will expand racial profiling and unwarranted surveillance of Black and other youth of color – further targeting young people who are already disproportionately impacted by abusive policing in their schools, neighborhoods, public transit and homes. Instead of profiling and criminalizing an entire group of people based on age, Commissioner Shea and the NYPD should focus on improving police accountability by firing officers who abuse their authority, lie in their/an official capacity, sexually harass, brutalize and kill young people and other New Yorkers. 

"Communities United for Police Reform calls on Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Council to demonstrate a real commitment to our city’s young people by putting an end to this program and reallocating funding to the resources young people and their families need to thrive – including stable and affordable housing, youth-led restorative justice programs, employment opportunities and other initiatives that will promote meaningful emotional, social and educational supports in New York City public schools and neighborhoods."

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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 reduces reliance on policing. CPR runs coalitions of over 200 local, statewide and national organizations, bringing 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 most unfairly targeted by the NYPD.