Safer NY Act

Safer NY Act is a package of bills in the New York State Legislature that would help increase police transparency and help increase accountability to New Yorkers' most common encounters with police. The #SaferNYAct includes: the Police Statistics and Transparency (STAT) Act, codifying and strengthening the Special Prosecutor executive order, reducing Unnecessary Arrests for low-level, ticketable offenses, repealing the NYS police secrecy law (CRL section 50-a), and legalizing marijuana with strong attention paid to ensuring that resources are reinvested in communities most harmed by prohibition.

For immediate release: April 1, 2021

Families of New Yorkers Killed by Police, Community Organizations, Mark the First Day Special Prosecutor Law Takes Effect

Today marks the enactment of the hard-fought law to codify and strengthen the special prosecutor’s office in New York State that investigates all killings by police and deaths in police custody.

For immediate release: March 30, 2021

CPR Celebrates Long-Fought Victory to Legalize Marijuana and Secure Restitution for Communities Hardest Hit by Marijuana Enforcement

Today, after years of organizing for the legalization of marijuana, New York State is poised to pass the Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA). Once it becomes law, the MRTA will be one of the most ambitious legalization programs in the country. It includes comprehensive racial justice-oriented restitution for the communities—largely Black, Latinx, and other communities of color—who have been historically harmed by marijuana policing and New York’s drug laws.

How Police Unions Fight Reform

Activists insist that police departments must change. For half a century, New York City’s P.B.A. has successfully resisted such demands.
07/27/2020
New Yorker

In May, just days after a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd, Lieutenant Bob Kroll, the bellicose leader of the city’s police union, described Floyd as a violent criminal, said that the protesters who had gathered to lament his death were terrorists, and complained that they weren’t being treated more roughly by police. Kroll, who has spoken unsentimentally about being involved in three shootings himself, said that he was fighting to get the accused officers reinstated. In the following days, the Kentucky police union rallied around officers who had fatally shot an E.M.T.

We looked at protester demands from across the nation and compared them with recent police reforms.

Protesters have made their demands clear, and cities are starting to respond. But is it enough?
07/20/2020
USA Today

In the 18 days after the death of George Floyd, 16 states introduced, amended, or passed various police-reform bills.

We looked at what protesters are asking for and what changes have actually been implemented. While a handful of new policies met demands, most local officials and law enforcement agencies failed to fulfill expectations.  

Defunding law enforcement

Lentory Johnson knows what "defund the police" means to her — and she has a perspective based on a deeply personal experience.

For immediate release: June 10, 2020

Victory: Communities United for Police Reform Celebrates Package of Civil Rights Laws that Make New Yorkers Safer from Police

New York, NY – After years of organizing across New York City and New York State, Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) celebrated the passage of a series of three bills collectively called the Safer NY Act that together increase police transparency and help increase accountability around New Yorkers' m

This legislative package on police reform is aimed at fixing the NYPD

The Safer NY Act would make it harder for the police to hide misconduct claims, force them to report demographic data about arrests, and legalize marijuana.
06/02/2020
Fast Company

As people protested around the country in response to the death of George Floyd, the nation has seen video after video of police tear gassing, shoving, and shooting at protestors. At massive protests in New York, a police van drove through a protest, and one officer even pulled a handgun on protestors in Manhattan’s Union Square.

For immediate release: May 30, 2020

Communities United for Police Reform Demands Cuomo, Legislature Repeal 50-A Now

The following statement from Anthonine Pierre, spokesperson for Communities United for Police Reform and Deputy Director of the Brooklyn Movement Center: 

For immediate release: May 29, 2020

Communities United For Police Reform Responds to New York State Legislative Session

In response to the ongoing legislative session in New York state, the following statement can be attributed to Carolyn Martinez-Class, spokesperson for Communities United for Police Reform:

For immediate release: May 22, 2020

Families of New Yorkers Killed by NYPD & Racial Justice Groups Call on New York State Legislative Leaders to Include Police Accountability and Transparency Bills in COVID-19 Relief Package

New York – Today, families of New Yorkers killed by police came together with racial justice groups, police accountability groups, and prominent labor unions like 1199 SEIU-UHWE and 32BJ SEIU to call on the state's legislative leaders to pass police accountability and transparency measures as part of an emergency COVID-19 relief package likely to be considered in the legislature after Memorial Day.

Pages