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.
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.
In 2013, a federal court found the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk practices unconstitutional. NYC's current mayor, Bill de Blasio, ran on a platform of addressing racial disparities in policing that same year. Yet in 2018, five years later, unconstitutional and abusive stops by the NYPD continue, impacting mostly New Yorkers of color.
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.
Over a year ago, Colin Kaepernick pledged to give $1 million to groups across the nation, and we were thrilled to be included as a recipient in late 2016. For the final $100,000 of his #MillionDollarPledge, Kaepernick launched a #10for10 campaign where he matched gifts of at least $10K from his friends with $10K grants to 10 organizations over the course of 10 days. Entertainer/entrepreneur Nick Cannon chose to give a double gift to CPR with a donation of $20K and hip hop artist Joey Bada$$ also gave $10K, which Kaepernick matched with $10K. As part of the Encore portion of #10for10, music and business executive Steve Stoute donated $10K to us on February 1, 2018. It brings a total of $50,000 to our racial justice and police accountability work in 2018.
Help rid NYC streets of abusive, discriminatory policing by coming to the Right To Know Act rally on October 11th! Communities United for Police Reform and a citywide coalition of over 200 organizations are calling for the New York City Council to pass the Right to Know Act into law to help end police abuses. It would promote police accountability in New Yorkers' most common interactions with the NYPD to prevent abuses and unconstitutional searches that continue in communities across the city. CLICK HERE to learn more about the Right To Know Act.
Passionate about NYPD accountability? Believe in the power of communities most impacted by discriminatory & abusive policing to create lasting changes to ensure all NYers are treated with dignity and respect by law enforcement? Ready to put your skills to work for the fight for social justice?
CPR is hiring! Click the link below to read more about open positions. Apply today to join our team.
For months, Mayor de Blasio has promoted that his administration will stand against Trump's racist attacks on immigrants and people of color. Yet everyday, these same communities are criminalized and targeted by the NYPD's abusive, discriminatory "broken windows" policing, a practice that is consistent with Trump's racist policing agenda by fueling incarceration and immigration enforcement. New Yorkers need concrete actions by our local officials to make our city a true sanctuary for all.
CPR members are hosting FREE Know Your Rights trainings across the city this Spring to empower New Yorkers with critical information about their rights. The trainings will provide attendees with an understanding of their rights during encounters with the NYPD, ICE and FBI, and tools to stay as safe as possible during these different types of law enforcement interactions.
