Hundreds of New Yorkers Rally at City Hall to Demand Police Reforms with Support to Pass in City Council

Broad support for reforms from over 100 groups announced, highlights that communities don’t view de Blasio/Bratton “community policing” & training as addressing needed police accountability/transparency

Hundreds of New Yorkers, mothers of those killed by the NYPD, elected officials and artists – together with civil rights, community and labor leaders – rallied outside of City Hall in support of a legislative package of police reforms, known as the Right to Know Act. The Right to Know Act has the support of a majority of New York City Council members – and thus the votes to pass – and New Yorkers from communities across the city that are impacted by abusive policing. The assembled rally called for the City Council to take action to pass the Right to Know Act without any further delay, in order to help protect New Yorkers from abusive encounters with NYPD officers and unconstitutional searches.

“New Yorkers are tired of waiting for justice and reforms – we want to see the City Council take action to protect our communities by voting to pass the Right to Know Act,” said Monifa Bandele, a spokesperson for Communities United for Police Reform.  “While we continue to suffer injustices from the legal system failing to hold officers accountable, our communities will not accept continued police abuses because of inaction by elected officials, regardless of who is in office – whether it is Bloomberg, de Blasio or anyone else as mayor. Over two years into the de Blasio administration, we’ve seen no meaningful reforms to address the lack of police accountability and transparency, and its why people in this city continue to face abuses, brutality, disrespect and sometimes life-threatening violence from police in common day-to-day interactions with the NYPD. It’s time for the City Council to demonstrate national leadership on police reform, and pass the Right to Know Act – these reforms must be part of any attempt to make our city safer and the criminal justice system fairer, advancing equality and safety for all New Yorkers.”

The rally was organized by Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) and a diverse group of organizations from across the city, demonstrating broad support for meaningful action on police reforms. It highlighted the frustration with the lack of action out of City Hall to advance police accountability and transparency, revealing that communities do not perceive the de Blasio and Bratton administration’s “community policing” and training initiatives as solutions to address police abuses or the lack of accountability. It was followed by meetings with council members, in which New Yorkers illustrated the damage that police abuses and the lack of accountability have on their communities.

Incidents of police abuse and brutality continue to occur, demonstrating that the administration’s solutions have been inadequate solutions to address these problems. Several incidents have occurred or come to public attention in just the past few weeks, and dozens more in the past several months. Earlier in the week, it was revealed that a military veteran with impaired vision was “roughed up” in an encounter where NYPD officers never identified themselves. A few weeks ago, postal worker Glenn Grays was subjected to police abuse and arrest while in uniform delivering to his mail route, but was never told why he was stopped by officers in the first place. The New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board has highlighted NYPD officers’ unlawful searches as a continuing problem of concern.

“Communities have been forced to wait far too long for action on the Right to Know Act police reforms, and in the meantime New Yorkers continue to experience abusive policing encounters and unlawful searches,” said Council Member Ritchie Torres, lead sponsor of the identification bill. “Now is the time for these bills to be passed by the Council. Recent incidents make it clear that New Yorkers need these bills to pass in order to create transparency and accountability in civilians’ interactions with the police. Further delay means opposing common-sense reforms that advance good government and improved policing practices. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass the Right to Know Act without any further delay, in order to protect safety and Constitutional rights in New York City.”

Diverse communities throughout New York City have been calling for the Council to pass the Right to Know Act as common sense legislation that can help protect New Yorkers in their most common interactions with NYPD officers for months. The legislation had the required oversight hearing in June of 2015, and now has the sponsorship support of a majority of the City Council – giving the legislation the support to pass.

“Reforming the way that police interact with communities is critical in New York City, and we continue to believe that passing the Right to Know Act would be the most meaningful step that this Council can take toward that reform,” said Council Member Antonio Reynoso.

The Right to Know Act was introduced in the New York City Council in November 2014 by Council Members Antonio Reynoso and Ritchie Torres. It consists of two pieces of legislation to increase accountability and transparency to protect civilians’ rights during their most common interactions with police officers.

• The first bill would require police officers to identify and explain themselves when stopping someone, seeking entry into a home, engaging a crime victim or witness, and other non-emergency situations.
• The second bill would protect civilians against unconstitutional searches, by requiring officers to receive proof of consent to searches in which the only legal basis is the person’s consent.

The bills are modeled on similar requirements already working in other states and will help address the accountability and transparency gaps in basic interactions that too often unnecessarily escalate because of a lack of information and respect for New Yorkers’ basic civil rights. The White House’s national Task Force on 21^st Century Policing – which was co-chaired by Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, included the Tucson police chief, law enforcement experts and community stakeholders – endorsed the policy reforms of the Right to Know Act as ones that should be adopted throughout the country.

New Yorkers too often have no idea why they’re being engaged by an officer, or even the identity of the officer. Civilians can find themselves subjected to police abuse, brutality or disrespectful behavior simply for asking officers to identify themselves, even though the NYPD Patrol Guide requires officers to provide their name, rank, shield number and command when asked.

Additionally, most New Yorkers are unaware that they have the right to refuse a search when an officer does not have legal justification for the search (a warrant, probable cause or when a person is under arrest), or they are uncomfortable exercising those rights because of the power imbalance that exists between civilians and a police officer with a gun. New Yorkers’ experiences also demonstrate that officers routinely conduct searches without legal justification, either by deceiving New Yorkers into consent by ordering that they empty their pockets, or simply searching belongings without explanation.

Quotes:

Alyssa Aguilera, Co-Executive Director of VOCAL-NY said: “The Right to Know Act is commonsense legislation that will move community-police relations towards accountability, transparency, and mutual respect. Today, we join a diverse coalition of New Yorkers to call on City Council to move forward these important police reforms. Until we address the everyday indignities communities of color experience at the hands of the NYPD, we will not be able to fully promote true public safety for our city.”

NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman stated: “The Right to Know Act is essential to rebuild trust between police and New Yorkers after decades of overly aggressive policing targeting our communities of color. Tragedies like Eric Garner and Akai Gurley make it painfully clear how police encounters can escalate into tragedy. We need better communication, transparency and accountability in everyday interactions between police officers and the people they are supposed to protect and serve.”

Council Member Brad Lander said: “When we passed the Community Safety Act in 2013, we worked to make sure that we were advancing both public safety and civil rights. The Right to Know Act is the next legislative step in this important conversation. New Yorkers should have a right to know who is stopping them and why they are being stopped.  Thanks to Council Member Torres and Reynoso for continuing to advance this important conversation.”

Jason Salmon, a member of Jews for Racial & Economic Justice stated: “I support the Right to Know Act because it's a question of fairness. Growing up in a working class African American Brooklyn neighborhood, my friends and I were routinely harassed by the police and searched for no reason. The constant searches and harassment didn’t build trust between the NYPD and us; instead it reinforced our sense that our lives didn’t matter as much as theirs. We grew to believe that they’d rather throw us against a wall than get to know us or have a dialogue with us. As a Black and Jewish New Yorker who often passes as white, I quickly became aware that there existed two types of treatments- one for white kids and one for kids of color. I experienced this first hand when I walked around with my white friends in NYC’s more affluent neighborhoods. This disparity must end. Let's pass the Right to Know Act.”

Alaster Williams, a member of Picture the Homeless’ Civil Rights Campaign said: “Too many times, we at Picture the Homeless have encountered people who have legitimate grievances against members of the NYPD, but have no relevant information about the officers with whom they had the encounter. The Right to Know Act has the votes to pass within the City Council, and we need these bills to be passed as soon as possible. With summer fast approaching, these encounters with the police will surely increase - as will the number of complaints against the NYPD.”

Beverly Tillery, Executive Director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project stated: “Today we are honored to stand alongside activists, organizers, elected officials, and concerned community members as we call for the passage of the Right to Know Act. This critical piece of legislation will make the City safer for all New Yorkers, especially vulnerable populations such as LGBTQ and HIV-affected survivors of violence. We call of all council members to support this critical legislation and make our city safer for all.”

Delaine Powerful of BYP100 said: “The NYPD claims to prioritize the safety of all New Yorkers, but if this is true, New Yorkers should have the right to any information that provides a needed layer of protection against violent police officers who abuse their power. We need City Council to pass the Right to Know Act immediately and advocate for true safety.”

Loyda Colon, Justice Committee Co-Director said: “Too often our members' interactions with the police are not only unjust, but also terrifying. Requiring officers to identify themselves and inform New Yorkers when they have a right not to consent are simple changes that will make police encounters more just and civil. The Right to Know Act is a no brainer that should be passed into law today.”

Council Member Margaret Chin stated: “New Yorkers, especially members of communities of color, are tired of policing tactics that violate their rights and make them feel unsafe on the streets of their own neighborhoods. This legislation will protect people from unnecessary searches and degrading police encounters, and is part of a larger effort to make our Police Department more accountable to the communities it serves. I thank Council Members Torres and Reynoso for introducing this legislation, and the many community-based groups who are peacefully working for change.”

Nahal Zamani, Advocacy Program Manager with the Center for Constitutional Rights stated: “The Right to Know Act is long overdue legislation that would dramatically reduce abusive encounters on the street with the NYPD and ensure transparency and accountability. The New York City Council should take concrete steps to pass this bill now in order to increase protections against retaliation and abusive policing encounters.”

Glenn E. Martin, Founder and President of JustLeaderhsipUSA said: “The Right to Know Act will help curb the abusive policing practices that result in the arrest of far too many New Yorkers, thousands of whom wind up on Rikers Island every year for alleged minor crimes. We cannot achieve our goal of closing Rikers without turning off the spigot that feeds New York City's Torture Island.”

Minister Kirsten John Foy, Northeast Regional Director of National Action Network stated: “The Right to Know Act is an affirmation of the rights that we as citizens already enjoy. Mandating that police identify themselves and inform us that we have to consent to being searched is common sense and should now be common law. Can you imagine an America without Miranda Rights, or the right to legal counsel, or without the presumption of innocence, until the proof of guilt? We cannot imagine that America nor do we want to. This is why we must pass The Right to Know Act because we cannot, now, afford to live in New York City without it.”

Audrey Lorde Project released the following statement: “We demand an end to profiling, harassment and brutality at the hands of the police.  Like many other oppressed communities LGBTSTGNC people of color are targeted, profiled and brutalized by the NYPD and we demand that city council pass the Right to Know Act and continue to take steps toward police accountability.”

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