Press Releases

For immediate release:
July 23, 2013

Council Members, Advocates Call on Bloomberg to Listen to President Obama’s Appeal on Racial Profiling

Obama’s recent comments referred to support of racial profiling bill as state senator in Illinois – similar to NYC bill; Advocates launch petition by music artist Talib Kweli in support of ending racial profiling by police in NYC and Council bill

Today, Council Members Jumaane Williams and Brad Lander and Communities United for Police Reform called on Mayor Bloomberg to acknowledge the national conversation and President Obama’s statement on racial profiling.

For immediate release:
July 20, 2013

NYC Police Reform Advocates Support 100 City “Justice for Trayvon” Visit by Family of Trayvon Martin

Local groups support call for DOJ civil rights charges, criticize Mayor Bloomberg’s opposition to legislation to ban racial profiling in NYC

Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) put out the following statement from spokesperson Priscilla Gonzalez in response to the family of Trayvon Martin and National Action Network holding a vigil outside of 1 Police Plaza on Saturday to demand justice and call on the Department of Justice to bring charges against George Zimmerman.

For immediate release:
July 17, 2013

New Report Highlights NYPD Data That Contradicts Bloomberg, Kelly on Stop-and-Frisk

Report comes as website hosting public policy research on stop-and-frisk is launched

The Center on Race, Crime and Justice at John Jay College of Criminal Justice released a report today that highlights NYPD data on stop-and-frisk, crime and policing that contradicts several of Mayor Bloomberg’s explanations for the disproportionate use of stop-and-frisk on Black and Latino New Yorkers.

For immediate release:
June 26, 2013

Before Community Safety Act Vote, Impacted New Yorkers Call for Council Passage & Condemn Bloomberg on Civil Rights, Scare Tactics

Historic legislation will give law against racial profiling teeth, extend protections to LGBTQ and immigrant New Yorkers for first time. With 50th anniversary of March on Washington approaching, leaders will call for passage of legislation to protect New Yorkers’ civil rights.

New Yorkers impacted by discriminatory policing and who would be afforded civil rights protections under the Community Safety Act were joined by Council Members Jumaane Williams and Brad Lander today to express support for the legislation’s passage preceding the vote. They condemned the unfortunate rhetoric used by the Bloomberg administration to incite fear and distort the truth about the bills’ impact, and questioned the mayor’s resistance to historic civil rights protections for New Yorkers.

For immediate release:
June 24, 2013

Before Historic Vote to Discharge Community Safety Act, New Yorkers Pack City Hall to Support Reforms

Legislation will give law against racial profiling teeth, extend protections to LGBTQ and immigrant New Yorkers for first time Establishing inspector general for NYPD will bring New York City in line with other cities and law enforcement agencies

Hundreds of New Yorkers joined Council Members Jumaane Williams, Brad Lander and their colleagues to express broad support for historic action to help bring two Community Safety Act bills to the City Council floor for a vote and passage. The two pieces of legislation would help end the discriminatory police profiling that has increased under the Bloomberg administration – particularly through its stop-and-frisk policy – and establish independent oversight of the NYPD.

For immediate release:
June 19, 2013

Color of Change, Peoples’ Justice, Communities United for Police Reform Launch Website to Empower Community Members to Monitor Police

Offers Tips on How to Effectively “Cop Watch,” and Document Police Misconduct

Color of Change, Peoples’ Justice and Communities United for Police Reform launched a new website, Cop Watch NYC (www.copwatchnyc.org), to empower and encourage New Yorkers to monitor the police through a practice known as “Cop Watch.” Cop Watch is the entirely legal practice of monitoring and documenting police activity in order to deter abusive policing, educate community members about their rights, and hold the police accountable for unfairly targeting and criminalizing specific communities, based on ra

For immediate release:
May 9, 2013

Communities United for Police Reform Holds Mayoral Forum on Public Safety Issues, including Gun Violence, Policing Issues, and Economic and Social Factors Related to Safety

At forum co-presented by Amsterdam News, Gay City News, and Global Grind, candidates are pressed on positions

New York, NY – Communities United for Police Reform, the New York Amsterdam News, Gay City News and GlobalGrind.com held a mayoral forum on community safety Thursday evening at Riverside Church. The forum was moderated by NY1 Noticias’ Pura Politica host Juan Manuel Benitez and focused on issues such as stop-and-frisk and other policing practices, gun violence, and economic and social factors related to safety.

For immediate release:
May 6, 2013

Advocates for Police Reforms Launch Non-Partisan Campaign Targeting Thousands of Prospective Voters

Communities United for Police Reform will begin citywide effort to mobilize voters impacted by stop-and-frisk

Communities United for Police Reform launched a non-partisan citywide campaign today to encourage the thousands of New Yorkers impacted by stop-and-frisk and other discriminatory policing practices to become active in the 2013 elections.

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