Swift Accountability and Systemic Change Needed to Address Police Brutality and Misconduct

Today, Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) released the following statement in response to the police killing of Akai Gurley, a 28-year-old black man in East New York, and the macing and beating of Donovan Lawson, a 20-year-old black man in Bushwick:

"Yesterday's tragic killing of Akai Gurley and the macing and beating of Donovan Lawson with a nightstick at the hands of NYPD officers are not isolated incidents and underscore the urgent need for systemic change. Retraining will not solve this problem. Meaningful and swift accountability in cases of brutality and killing of unarmed people by the NYPD is required to send a message that police brutality and misconduct is unacceptable in NYC.

"Most New Yorkers are all too aware that this is a problem that needs to be addressed, as a recent Quinnipiac poll found. Communities of color, in particular, face overly aggressive policing that promotes this type of brutality, and it's time for much-need reforms,” said Priscilla Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for Communities United for Police Reform (CPR).

Data Source:
A Quinnipiac Poll, released on Wednesday, showed that 73% of voters polled think police brutality is a "very serious" or "somewhat serious" problem in NYC. [See Q35.]