In Year after Eric Garner Killed by NYPD Officers, de Blasio administration Took No Meaningful Action on Police Brutality & Accountability

“After a year where the police abuse and brutality of civilians – and lack of accountability for it – received immense attention across the nation and here in New York, it’s shameful that New York City has failed to take any steps towards addressing this critical issue. Police brutality and discriminatory policing are what killed Eric Garner, and neither retraining nor ‘neighborhood policing’ will address this issue. This isn’t about police-community relations, it’s about stopping policing that abuses and brutalizes New Yorkers. The only way to truly bring that to an end is by fixing the NYPD’s failed accountability system.
 
“So the question for Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Bratton should be: what have you done to address police brutality in the last year? The answer is clear because it’s something that neither has addressed in a productive and substantive way – Commissioner Bratton often tries to deflect in order to evade responsibility.
 
“Modified duty isn’t adequate discipline for an officer who fundamentally violates their oath of office by abusing and brutalizing those they are sworn to protect. Neither is simply moving someone into another position, precinct or command as we have often seen. NYPD officer Richard Haste, who shot and killed unarmed teenager Ramarley Graham, is a prime example as he remains on the NYPD with an increased salary since the killing in 2012.
 
“The number of reported incidents of alleged and confirmed police brutality demonstrates that these aren’t simply isolated incidents that happen once a year. Yet our city leaders seem unwilling to grapple with the basic fact that this problem is systemic, because no action taken thus far addresses it. It is as critical today as it was when we first made the demand in our December 2013 report: the de Blasio administration should advance NYPD enforcement of a zero tolerance policy for police brutality, sexual harassment and assault.
 
“Real reform comes with accountability and an end to abusive, discriminatory broken windows policing that targets our communities.”

BACKGROUND

Below is an incomplete list of reported incidents/allegations of police brutality:

July 11, 2015: Brooklyn Woman Says Off-Duty Cop Choked Her, Called Her Homophobic Slurs

June 8, 2015: Mario Ocasio Killed in Police Encounter

May 14, 2015: Denis Reyes is killed by NYPD officers

May 14, 2015: Plainclothes NYPD Officer Grabs 14-Year-Old Girl

April 25, 2015: David Felix Killed in Police Encounter

April 25, 2015: NYPD Officer Punches Woman

April 18, 2015: Suspect Has Broken Jaw after Police Chase

April 16, 2015: NYPD Officer Violently Shoves Demonstrator, Knocks Down Legal Observer at Protest

April 8, 2015: NYPD Breaks NBA Player Thabo Sefolosha’s Leg

March 2015: NYPD Officer’s Xenophobic Rant against Uber Driver

December 15, 2014: NYPD Officer Repeatedly Punches Teen

November 20, 2014: NYPD Officer Uses Bashes Alleged Fare Beater in Head

November 20, 2014: NYPD Officer Kills Akai Gurley

November 12, 2014: NYPD Officers Accused of Beating Up Autistic Teen

September 29, 2014: NYPD Officer Batters Woman after Breaking into Apartment

September 20, 2014: NYPD Officer Tackles Pregnant Woman, Then Shoves Woman

September 14, 2014: Brooklyn Fruit Vendor Kicked by Cop While In Handcuffs

August 29, 2014: NYPD Officer Hits Unarmed Teen in Face with Gun

July 23, 2014: NYPD Officer Stomps on Suspect’s Head

July 17, 2014: NYPD Officers Kill Eric Garner

July 13, 2014: NYPD Officers Drag Woman from Apartment Naked

July 2014: NYPD Officer Puts Pregnant Woman in Chokehold

July 2014: NYPD Officer Uses Chokehold at Subway Station

June 4, 2014: NYPD Officer Knocks Out Teen in Clinton Hill

Summer 2014: Son of Retired Deputy Sheriff Alleges NYPD Officer Subjected Him to False Arrest, Rough Ride

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