Latinos make up 29% of the total population in New York City, and blacks 23%, but despite being minorities, data revealed by authorities reveals that when it comes to pedestrian police stops, these two groups account for almost 90% of this practice carried out by the NYPD, which activists and defenders of vulnerable communities consider a clear example of racial profiling. Last year there were at least 15,002 suspected police stops in the five boroughs, and of that number, 59% were directed at African-Americans and 30% at Hispanics.
And assuring that the New York police continue to implement constant stops for black and Latino New Yorkers without justification, political leaders and protesters gathered in front of the City Hall and the City Council to demand that the legislature approve the so-called “How many stops” law? ”, which seeks to stop immobilization of pedestrians motivated by racial profiling and give greater transparency to police actions.
“For many years this practice has hurt our communities and we are calling for a remedy now, which is this legislation that is supported by more than 20 members of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus and the Progressive Caucus so that there is police transparency”, assured the councilwoman of Upper Manhattan, Carmen de la Rosa, who denounced that the NYPD only provides data on stops due to high suspicions and those that are carried out at other levels are unknown. “We continue to see that under this Mayor’s Office we are returning to this policy of stopping more Black and Latino people, and it’s not just Black and Latino people committing crimes. That is prejudice and that racial imbalance, which the Court has said is unconstitutional, has to stop.”
Chauvet Bishop, an organizer with the Justice Committee of Communities United for Police Reform, joined that call, noting that it has been a decade since the practice of stop and frisk, known as Stop and Frisk, by the New York police York was declared unconstitutional, and yet the NYPD continues to stop, search and intimidate New Yorkers.
“Every day conditions only get worse under Mayor Adams, and the reporting required by the How Many Arrests Act requires only seconds for officers, but will provide us with the information we need to transform harmful interactions. that many New Yorkers have with the police,” said the activist, noting that the bill seeks clarity about the stops that are made.
“It is time for the City Council to immediately pass the legislation and for the Mayor to sign the bills so that we have a clear picture of how the NYPD is operating in our city and can use this to work together and put End New York Police Department racial profiling and abuse of Black, Latino and other communities of color,” he said.
The organizer noted that the NYPD is currently not required to report how many total New Yorkers are questioned each year, who they are, or provide basic demographic information such as age, race, gender, or in which neighborhoods they are stopped and are only required to report on Level 3 stops, commonly known as stops and pat-downs.
“This means that entire categories of street stops and investigative encounters go unreported at all. The law would change that, bringing urgently needed transparency and oversight to the black box of surveillance,” the activist added.
Councilwoman Alexa Avilés, who supports the initiative, denounced that there are serious violations of the civil rights of black and Latino New Yorkers by the anti-crime unit of the New York Police Department in the name of public safety.
“Of the 15,002 arrests that occurred in 2022, 59 percent targeted black residents and 30 percent targeted Latino New Yorkers. The safest communities are the ones with the most resources, not the ones with the most police officers. Accountability is not radical. Transparency is not radical”, commented the legislator.
Christine Rivera, political adviser for The Bronx Defenders, said the Big Apple cannot wait any longer for transparency about police stops.
“We can’t wait any longer for the How Many Stops Act in the Bronx. We fought long and hard for the Right to Know Act, but the people we serve are still being stopped and searched without regard for their health and safety. How many more arrests and searches are violating people’s rights?” said the lawyer. “The How Many Stops Law would create a foundation of transparency and accountability that is critical to ensuring the basic safety and dignity of all.”
Obi Afriyie, a community organizer with the Legal Defense Fund, said the NYPD has a history of discriminatory policing directed at Black and Latino communities that courts long ago found unconstitutional, yet continues to operate with racial profiling.
“He is still allowed to operate under a veil of secrecy when it comes to most of the police encounters that take place every day,” Afriyie said.
Michael Sisitzky, NYCLU’s deputy director for policy, warned that even so-called “low-level” encounters with the NYPD can be intimidating, humiliating and can even turn deadly for Black and Latino New Yorkers.
“Yet for too long, those encounters have been shrouded in secrecy. With an administration using illegal arrests to harass and instill fear in Black and Latino New Yorkers, it is urgent that the City Council pass the How Many Arrests Act. These common-sense bills would bring much-needed transparency to a wide range of police activities and help communities expose potential abuses – the first step to holding police accountable,” the advocate said.
Robert Willis, Coordinator of Justice Advocate LatinoJusticePRLDEF, said he supports the bill because it has the potential to bring transparency to the NYPD’s daily interactions with communities.
“These bills uphold accountability by requiring the NYPD to document all street encounters. They address concerns about police interactions that affect Black and Latino New Yorkers and will not compromise urgent or necessary investigations,” the advocate said. “It is time to improve public safety through a comprehensive and inclusive approach. This September, the New York City Council can begin to foster a better understanding and trust between the police and the communities they serve.”
Jennvine Wong, a lawyer from The Legal Aid Society, stated that transparency in police actions is urgent and asked the Council to speed up the bill so that it sees the light.
“New Yorkers deserve full transparency and accountability from the NYPD,” the attorney said. “A system that allows officers to bury cases of misconduct by exploiting logistical loopholes is unfair and puts all New Yorkers, but particularly New Yorkers of color, at risk. The Municipal Council must immediately approve the Law of How Many Detentions and stop allowing abusive and discriminatory police action to go unreported and the agents go unpunished”.
Carmen Pérez-Jordan, President and CEO of Gathering for Justice, mentioned that data collection, which would be required by law, is vital and key to completing the picture of what policing in New York City is really like.
“The time is long overdue for police accountability and transparency in New York City. The How Many Arrests Act legislation will increase transparency and provide control over the New York Police Department’s responsibilities for reporting investigative encounters and consent searches,” said the community leader.
The Ombudsman, Jumaane Williams, assured that passing legislation that would require transparency from the police on all types of stops, contributes to improving public safety and urged the City Council to give it a free hand.
“Passing the How Many Stops Act bills is vital to promoting community safety and the work that has been done since I took office more than a decade ago,” Williams said.
Hawa Bah, mother of Mohamed Bah, murdered by the New York police in 2012, stressed that even police stops can result in tragedies, for which she demanded that New Yorkers be given greater protections against such practices.
“I am here today on behalf of dozens of families who have lost loved ones to the NYPD to say we need the How Many Stops Act to pass now. If these bills do not pass, abusive officers like the ones who killed my son will be protected,” Bah said. “We call on the mayor to stop the obstruction of the NYPD and immediately sign these bills into law.”
The NYPD and Mayor Eric Adams have denied that there is a practice of police stops motivated by racial profiling.
NYPD Police Stops in Data
- 15,002 Police Stops Revealed by the NYPD Occurred in 2022
- Almost 90% were targeted at Blacks and Latinos
- 59% were targeted at African Americans
- 30% of police stops affected Hispanics
- 20 Members of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus and the Progressive Caucus Support NYPD Stop Transparency Law