Press Releases

For immediate release:
August 16, 2013

Statement from CPR & Public Housing Advocates Re: Mayor Bloomberg’s Comments on the Fingerprinting of Public Housing Residents

In response to Mayor Bloomberg saying public housing residents should all be fingerprinted to enter their homes, Communities United for Police Reform and several public housing advocates released the following statements.

“Mayor Bloomberg’s comments about fingerprinting people entering NYCHA buildings is highly insulting, and his insistence that some people in the city do not deserve the same level of civil rights as others unfortunately no longer comes as a shock,” said Joo-Hyun Kang of Communities United for Police Reform.

For immediate release:
July 24, 2013

New Yorkers Denounce Bloomberg for Being Out of Touch on Racial Profiling and Civil Rights

As national dialogue focuses on the dangers of racial profiling, Bloomberg vetoes bill to prohibit profiling in NYC; Council members and New Yorkers express support for override of mayor’s veto on Community Safety Act

Today, Communities United for Police Reform joined council members, civil rights leaders, and New Yorkers opposed to racial profiling to denounce Mayor Bloomberg for vetoing the Community Safety Act and expressed support for council members’ plan to override his veto.

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

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