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.

Chokeholds and Police Abuse, Kept From the Public

There’s still time for New York legislators to repeal the law that keeps police records secret.

06/12/2019

New York Times

An administrative judge will decide soon whether New York Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo should be fired for using a prohibited chokehold that led to the death of Eric Garner and waves of protestover police brutality five years ago.

Whatever her decision, the public may never know about it.

For immediate release:

June 12, 2019

Police Accountability Advocates and Progressive Leaders Call on Governor Cuomo and State Legislative Leaders to Pass Safer NY Act, Including Special Prosecutor, #PoliceSTATAct, and Full Repeal of 50-a Before June 19

Families of those killed by police slam Governor for threatening to rollback special prosecutor Executive Order

Albany - Today, a coalition of more than one hundred organizations from across New York called on Governor Cuomo and state legislative leaders to pass the Safer NY Act, a package that includes a bill to repeal 50-a (New York’s harmful police secrecy law), a bill to strengthen the Special Prosecutor Executive Order, a bill to increase transparency of police interactions and other police accountability bills.

For immediate release:

June 6, 2019

Families Who Lost Loved Ones to Police Killings Call on Cuomo and Legislative Leaders to Pass Perry/Bailey Special Prosecutor Legislation & Repeal NYS Police Secrecy Law 50-a

16 New York family members whose loved ones were killed by police officers in New York state over the past twenty five years, called on Cuomo today to back (A1601A/S2574A) by Assemblymember Nick Perry and Senator Jamaal Bailey, after he threatened Monday to revoke the special prosecutor executive order he signed in 2015. The Perry/Bailey bill strengthens the 2015 executive order issued by Governor Cuomo and has previously passed the Assembly multiple times. Families call on all leaders to enact this and other important reform measures before the end of the legislative session June 19. Specifically, they called for the repeal NYS CRL Section 50-a, a controversial law known as the "police secrecy law" (A2513-O'Donnell/S3695-Bailey) before the end of session, and before the 5 year anniversary of the killing of Eric Garner by NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo.

For immediate release:

May 21, 2019

Communities United for Police Reform Applauds the Assembly for Advancing #PoliceSTATAct Legislation

New York, NY – Communities United for Police Reform (CPR), a leading voice for racial justice and police accountability in New York City, released the following statement today following the passage of Police Stat Act [A5472A/S1830B] legislation out of the New York State Assembly’s Codes Committee.

For immediate release:

May 16, 2019

Police Accountability Advocates Applaud NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson for Calling for Repeal of 50-a, New York’s Harmful Police Secrecy Law

New York – Police accountability advocates and organizers today applauded New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson for calling for the repeal of 50-a, New York’s harmful police secrecy law. 50-a is a controversial and widely criticized state law that advocates and elected officials are seeking to repeal in the current legislative session. It has been used to block the release of crucial information about misconduct committed by police officers and what, if any, disciplinary consequences they have faced for their actions.

Advocates and lawmakers rally to repeal law that lets cops hide misbehavior

A woman holds signs in front of police officers as she joins a rally at City Hall Park in downtown Manhattan on Aug. 1, 2016. (Anthony DelMundo/New York Daily News)

04/09/2019

New York Daily News

ALBANY — A push to repeal a law shielding police officers from public scrutiny is gaining traction in the state capital.

A group of lawmakers and activists, including the mother of Sean Bell, rallied Tuesday for the full repeal of section 50-a of the state’s civil rights law, which prevents the release of disciplinary records of uniformed officers throughout the state.

For immediate release:

April 9, 2019

Large Coalition Tells Governor Cuomo and State Legislature: Criminal Justice Reform Requires Passage of the Safer NY Act and Full Repeal of 50-a, New York’s Harmful Police Secrecy Law

Albany, NY – Today, a coalition of more than ninety organizations from across New York called on Governor Cuomo and the state legislature to pass the Safer NY Act, a legislative package that includes a bill to repeal 50-a, New York’s harmful police secrecy law.

Campaign Updates: Policing in NYS Budget, Saheed Vassell & Eric Garner

April 8, 2019

This past week had some good news related to what Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) was able to secure in the New York State budget. It was also a hard week with actions and events related to the continuing fight to secure some semblance of accountability for the killings of Saheed Vassell and Eric Garner.

Advocates Push for Repeal of Law that Keeps Police Misconduct Secret

03/21/2019

WNYC

(Click here to listen to radio segment.)

A group of New York legislators are hoping the political mood is right to pass a set of bills meant to increase police transparency and oversight. And they view a root cause of problems with police accountability, and therefore with public trust in law enforcement, as a section of New York Civil Rights Law called 50-a.

Piden a la Legislatura pasar la ‘Safer NY Act’ para regular la actividad policial

Activistas y funcionarios electos protestaron para exigir que se revoque la medida 50-a

03/21/2019

El Diario NY

Reclamando una reforma completa del sistema de justicia criminal, y una mayor transparencia y responsabilidad de las fuerzas policiales, un grupo de activistas y funcionarios electos, entre los que se encontraba el defensor del pueblo Jumaane Willians, se unieron este jueves en las escalinatas de la Alcaldía para pedir a la Legislatura estatal y al gobernador Andrew Cuomo pasar la ‘Safer NY

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