Press Briefing: From 2003 through 2005, The NYPD has refused to submit ALL the stop/question/frisk report data as well as other NYPD materials and data to the New York City Council as is mandated by LAW. In 2001, the New York City Council enacted law #55, which in part mandated that on a quarterly basis, the NYPD submit specific and detailed data on Stop/Question/Frisk reports prepared by the NYPD. The LAW requires that the Stop/Question/Frisk report, summons and complaint report data be broken down by race and gender. Police Commissioner Kelly continues to circumvent the law by releasing only a portion of the required report for 2006, ignoring years 2003-2005 thereby flaunting the established LAW and the legislative body that is mandated by New York City charter to provide agency oversight. The impetus for the Police Reporting LAW was to identify patterns of racial profiling. By refusing to submit the required data, in a timely fashion, Police Commissioner Kelly is actively engaged in a cover-up of the pattern and practice of discriminate enforcement. The NYPD’S assertion that the number of stop/question/frisk reports directly correspond to criminal complaint report descriptions is misleading and patently untrue. Our investigation supported by our practical professional experience affirms that the overwhelming majority of stop/question/frisk reports are not at all based on actual complainant descriptions but rather are self generated by the reporting Police Officer. It is therefore required that a copy of the actual stop/question/frisk reports be submitted for detailed review. Recognizing the need for effective crime prevention strategies, 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care has concern about the quantity but moreover about the quality of the stop/question/frisks conducted throughout New York City. 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care co-founder Marq Claxton stated, “Police Commissioner Kelly has apparently been granted immunity by the New York City Council for disregarding their very own law. Given the very serious, wide-spread allegations of racial profiling by the NYPD, Police Commissioner Kelly must be immediately compelled to submit ALL of the legally mandated data. New York City Council speaker Christine Quinn has abdicated her responsibility to obtain the data and thereby is failing to provide equal protection to Blacks and Latinos in New York City. The time for waiting for voluntary compliance by the NYPD is over and she should take the necessary actions to force Police Commissioner Kelly to abide by the LAW.”
Date: Thursday August 9, 2007
Time: 12 noon
Location: 1 Police Plaza
Presiding: 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care
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