Family Members of Eric Garner and Others Killed by NYPD Join Advocacy Organizations to Push Charter Revision Commission to Support Police Accountability Proposals for November Ballot

New York, NY – The Charter Revision Commission is facing increasing pressure from family members of Eric Garner and others killed by the NYPD to adopt police accountability proposals.

Ahead of the Charter Revision Commission’s meeting tonight, these families and nearly fifty progressive advocacy organizations and community-based groups sent a joint letter calling on the Commission to ensure “meaningful police accountability and transparency priorities are considered and adopted for the November 2019 ballot.”

The letter comes amid growing anger among these families and advocates over Commissioners appointed by Mayor de Blasio failing to support changes to the City’s Charter that would make the NYPD more accountable and transparent to all communities across the five boroughs. None of the reforms adopted by the Charter Revision to date meaningfully increase police accountability - and the one measure considered last week that would was voted down by de Blasio appointees. 

Signatories to the letter included family members of Eric Garner, Sean Bell, Amadou Diallo, Anthony Baez, Delrawn Small, Shantel Davis, Akai Gurley, and Mohamed Bah; and diverse organizations ranging from Communities United for Police Reform, New York Civil Liberties Union, National Panhellenic Council of NYC, Girls for Gender Equity, Make the Road New York, Arab American Association of New York, and others.

“It's outrageous and wrong that Charter Revision Commissioners appointed by Mayor de Blasio blocking proposals to increase police accountability, and evidently taking orders from the NYPD. Instead, these Commissioners should be listening to the thousands of New Yorkers who are calling for greater police accountability,” said Monifa Bandele, a police accountability advocate and spokesperson for Communities United for Police Reform (CPR).

“From Eric Garner to Delawn Small, too many New Yorkers of color, especially Black New Yorkers, have been killed or brutalized by de Blasio's NYPD in recent years. And too often, these police officers who commit murder or misconduct face no timely or meaningful consequences for their actions. The Charter Revision Commission has an obligation and opportunity to help change this, and should especially reconsider the ballot item to expand CCRB authority to investigate and prosecute false statements and related misconduct," said Bandele of CPR.

At tonight’s final Charter Revision Commission meeting for the year, Commissioners are being urged to do three key things that would improve policing and enhance public safety:

1. Reconsider and adopt a proposal to allow CCRB to investigate, prosecute and recommend discipline against police officers who are the subject of a CCRB complaint, if that officer is found to make a false statement or engages in other misconduct related to the initial complaint, within the course of CCRBs investigation or prosecution of such complaint.
    
2. Clarify, and if necessary, amend ballot proposal #5 (CCRB: Deviation from Disciplinary Recommendations) that was discussed and passed by Commissioners last week so that the outcome is increased public transparency.
    
3. Consider adopting other police accountability priorities for the November 2019 ballot, supported by dozens of NYC organizations, and described in a detailed letter sent to the Commission last week.
    

The full letter to the Charter Revision Commission can be read here.

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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/
Follow CPR on Twitter: @Changethenypd
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