Safer NY Act News

Safer NY Act is a package of bills in the New York State Legislature that would help increase police transparency and help increase accountability to New Yorkers' most common encounters with police. The #SaferNYAct includes: the Police Statistics and Transparency (STAT) Act, codifying and strengthening the Special Prosecutor executive order, reducing Unnecessary Arrests for low-level, ticketable offenses, repealing the NYS police secrecy law (CRL section 50-a), and legalizing marijuana with strong attention paid to ensuring that resources are reinvested in communities most harmed by prohibition.

For immediate release: April 1, 2021

Families of New Yorkers Killed by Police, Community Organizations, Mark the First Day Special Prosecutor Law Takes Effect

Today marks the enactment of the hard-fought law to codify and strengthen the special prosecutor’s office in New York State that investigates all killings by police and deaths in police custody.

For immediate release: March 30, 2021

CPR Celebrates Long-Fought Victory to Legalize Marijuana and Secure Restitution for Communities Hardest Hit by Marijuana Enforcement

Today, after years of organizing for the legalization of marijuana, New York State is poised to pass the Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA). Once it becomes law, the MRTA will be one of the most ambitious legalization programs in the country. It includes comprehensive racial justice-oriented restitution for the communities—largely Black, Latinx, and other communities of color—who have been historically harmed by marijuana policing and New York’s drug laws.

Senator Hoylmans Police Stat Act Act Goes Into Effect

12/12/2020
Harlem World Magazine

Today, the Police Statistics and Transparency (STAT) Act (S.1830-C/A.10609) sponsored by State Senator Brad Hoylman and Assemblymember Joe Lentol takes effect.

Almost six months after it was signed into law by Governor Cuomo.

This legislation requires New York State to collect and report data on the race, ethnicity and sex of anyone arrested and charged with a misdemeanor or violation, as well as of anyone who dies while in police custody or an attempt to establish custody.

MANH Lawmakers on the Move: Hoylman’s Police STAT Act Goes Into Effect

12/14/2020
New York County Politics

Last Saturday, the Police Statistics and Transparency (STAT) Act, sponsored by State Senator Brad Hoylman (D-Chelsea, Midtown), officially went into effect.

The bill requires the State to record the sex, race and ethnicity of anyone charge with a crime or misdemeanor, and that of anyone who dies in police custody. It passed the New York State Legislature in June, amid a national outcry against police misconduct.

How Police Unions Fight Reform

Activists insist that police departments must change. For half a century, New York City’s P.B.A. has successfully resisted such demands.
07/27/2020
New Yorker

In May, just days after a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd, Lieutenant Bob Kroll, the bellicose leader of the city’s police union, described Floyd as a violent criminal, said that the protesters who had gathered to lament his death were terrorists, and complained that they weren’t being treated more roughly by police. Kroll, who has spoken unsentimentally about being involved in three shootings himself, said that he was fighting to get the accused officers reinstated. In the following days, the Kentucky police union rallied around officers who had fatally shot an E.M.T.

We looked at protester demands from across the nation and compared them with recent police reforms.

Protesters have made their demands clear, and cities are starting to respond. But is it enough?
07/20/2020
USA Today

In the 18 days after the death of George Floyd, 16 states introduced, amended, or passed various police-reform bills.

We looked at what protesters are asking for and what changes have actually been implemented. While a handful of new policies met demands, most local officials and law enforcement agencies failed to fulfill expectations.  

Defunding law enforcement

Lentory Johnson knows what "defund the police" means to her — and she has a perspective based on a deeply personal experience.

For immediate release: June 10, 2020

Victory: Communities United for Police Reform Celebrates Package of Civil Rights Laws that Make New Yorkers Safer from Police

New York, NY – After years of organizing across New York City and New York State, Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) celebrated the passage of a series of three bills collectively called the Safer NY Act that together increase police transparency and help increase accountability around New Yorkers' m

This legislative package on police reform is aimed at fixing the NYPD

The Safer NY Act would make it harder for the police to hide misconduct claims, force them to report demographic data about arrests, and legalize marijuana.
06/02/2020
Fast Company

As people protested around the country in response to the death of George Floyd, the nation has seen video after video of police tear gassing, shoving, and shooting at protestors. At massive protests in New York, a police van drove through a protest, and one officer even pulled a handgun on protestors in Manhattan’s Union Square.

For immediate release: June 8, 2020

Communities United for Police Reform Celebrates the Passage of Police-STAT Act by New York State Senate and Assembly

New York, NY (June 8, 2020) – Today, Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) celebrated a momentous step that brings New York one step closer to stronger accountability, safety and justice through transparent and reliable access to critical police data via the Police-STAT Act. The #PoliceSTATAct is one of three bills that Albany legislators are expected to vote on this week from CPR's Safer NY Act legislative package. The other two bills are a repeal of New York's police secrecy law (50-a) and a bill that would codify and strengthen the office of special prosecutor to investigate police killings. 
For immediate release: May 30, 2020

Communities United for Police Reform Demands Cuomo, Legislature Repeal 50-A Now

The following statement from Anthonine Pierre, spokesperson for Communities United for Police Reform and Deputy Director of the Brooklyn Movement Center: 

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