CPR Announcements

On Friday, May 22, 2020, at a City Council public safety committee hearing, members and leaders of Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) called for complete removal of NYPD officers from enforcement of social distancing enforcement. They recommended that public health professionals and community organizations are tasked with educating New Yorkers about the importance of social distancing and helping to create new norms that will protect all communities through the pandemic. They also called for deep NYPD budget cuts to be redirected to agencies to meet basic needs and help ensure an equitable COVID-19 recovery for Black, Latinx, and other communities of color in NYC. Written and oral comments were submitted by Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) and CPR Members from New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU); Drug Policy Alliance; Justice Committee, Legal Aid Society; Center for Constitutional Rights; and Take Root Justice.

The New York State Senate Committee on codes held two hearings on October 17 and October 24, 2019 for a bill introduced by Senator Jamaal T. Bailey that would repeal CRL 50-a, the state law that that makes confidential personnel records of law enforcement, including misconduct records. At each hearing family members who have lost loved ones to NYPD violence, members of Communities United for Police Reform and the Safer NY Act coalition, and other advocates and elected officials delivered testimony to the New York State Senate Committee on Codes on the need to completely repeal CRL 50-a.

On February 7, 2019, family representatives for Ramarley Graham, Eric Garner, Saheed Vassell, and Delrawn Small joined Communities United for Police Reform to present testimony to the New York City Council on reforming the broken NYPD disciplinary process for police officers who engage in misconduct and perpetrate harm against New Yorkers.  Written and oral comments were also submitted by Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) and CPR Members from Make the Road New York, Girls for Gender Equity, Legal Aid Society, New York Civil Liberties Union, Center for Constitutional Rights, and Bronx Defenders.

On Wednesday, February 14, 2018, several CPR members testified before a Civilian Complaint Review Board public hearing on a resolution that would enable the agency to begin investigating certain sexual misconduct complaints against NYPD officers from civilians and proceed with administrative prosecutions for substantiated cases of such misconduct. The resolution unanimously passed, which means these complaints will now receive independent investigation outside of the NYPD.