Press Releases

For immediate release: January 25, 2016

CPR Responds to NYC Council Summons Reform, Hearing

In response to a New York City Council hearing today on a package of legislation collectively called the Criminal Justice Reform Act, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Monifa Bandele.

“The Council's summons reform is a positive first step to increase transparency and reduce the disproportionate legal consequences of low-level, non-criminal violations, though significant concerns and details must be addressed to avoid unintended negative impacts on New Yorkers, particularly low-income communities of color. It is also essential that the Council simultaneously advance front-end policing reforms, like the Right to Know Act, to end the policing abuses that make some New Yorkers and communities the disproportionate target of low-level enforcement in the first place.

For immediate release: January 14, 2016

NY Police Reform Campaign Responds to Gov. Cuomo’s Criminal Justice Proposals

Call Proposal to Replace Special Prosecutor a ‘Step Backwards’ & Urge Need for Comprehensive Data Reporting

In response to Governor Cuomo’s criminal justice proposals released after his State of the State and State Budget address, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from its Director of Organizing & Policy Michael Velarde.

For immediate release: January 12, 2016

Family of Ramarley Graham, Civil Rights Leaders & Elected Officials Call on Preet Bharara & DOJ to Act against Public Corruption in Police Killing

Over year after DOJ signaled full investigation into killing of unarmed 18-year-old Graham and near four years after killing, family and supporters demand case be given equal priority as Albany corruption

Over a year after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said it was undertaking a full investigation and more than two years since it first began reviewing the fatal police shooting of unarmed 18-year-old Ramarley Graham, his mother and father – Constance Malcolm and Franclot Graham – were joined by supporters to demand action and answers from U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.

For immediate release: November 17, 2015

Police Reform Campaign Responds to NYPD Commissioner Bratton’s Attack on City Council Members Supporting Reform

In response to comments NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton made at a Harvard Club breakfast this morning, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Monifa Bandele.

“Democracy and legislative oversight may be inconvenient for Mr. Bratton’s dictatorial wants, but as the appointee of an elected official within that system of government he must respect them.

For immediate release: October 7, 2015

CPR Responds to CCRB Substantiating James Blake’s Complaint of Excessive Force

In response to reports that the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board substantiated James Blake’s complaint that a NYPD officer used excessive force, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Mark Winston-Griffith, executive director of Brooklyn Movement Center.

“This quick turnaround by the CCRB appears to be nearly unprecedented, and now the true mechanism of accountability awaits in how the NYPD disciplines Officer Frascatore. Everyday New Yorkers find themselves suffering the same abusive and violent experiences at the hands of the NYPD as James Blake, but their reality is not one where the mayor and police commissioner apologize and pledge to take swift action, and the CCRB acts in this timely of a manner.

For immediate release: October 1, 2015

CPR Responds to NYPD Inspector General Use of Force Report, NYPD Announcement

In response to the NYPD Inspector General releasing a report critical of NYPD use of force policies and the NYPD announcing patrol guide and reporting changes, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Priscilla Gonzalez.

“While the move towards NYPD patrol guide and reporting changes that increase the transparency surrounding use of force policies are a positive step, they will have little practical impact without fixing the department's failure to hold officers accountable in an adequate, timely fashion. NYPD reporting also needs to include reporting of disciplinary actions taken for use of force cases, not just those reported and substantiated by CCRB.

For immediate release: September 1, 2015

CPR Responds to Bratton’s Comments on ‘Values’ of Black Families, Youth

In response to comments NYPD Commissioner Bratton made on MSNBC’sMorning Joe about the ‘values’ of Black communities and communities of color, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from Veronica Bayetti Flores.

 

For immediate release: August 31, 2015

Police Reform Campaign Responds to Former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly

In response to comments former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly made about stop-and-frisk, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Joo-Hyun Kang.

“Ray Kelly is entitled to his own opinion, but facts are facts – our communities and a majority of New Yorkers were fed up with the abusive and discriminatory stop-and-frisk practices that were counterproductive to public safety. Comparing the NYPD's own data on the number of stops and shooting victims during the Bloomberg administration showed that its stop-and-frisk policy did not impact gun violence in any consistent and positive way, and recent data from the current administration shows that crime has only continued to go down.

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