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we need YOU to pack the chamber on October 10th!

It's finally happening. 

As a result of all the excellent work that so many communities have been doing to curb the NYPD's policies of bias-based law enforcement, the City Council will hold hearings on October 10th, on stop, question, and frisk!

But now is where we need you the most. Because the opposition to these bills is steep.  

According to an article written by Azi Paybarah, the chairman of the New York City Council's Public Safety Committee, Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., has said that the proposed "Community Safety Act" is the scariest bill ever" brought before the city council for due consideration. 

 

PTH Board Member Jean Rice begs to differ, "humbly submitting" that "from my perspective the scariest bill ever was when the current Mayor overrode the will of the people of New York City and extended term limits." 

Now, it's an exciting and positive step that these hearings will be held at all. The announcement was made last week via media advisory by City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Public Safety Committee Chair Peter F. Vallone Jr., Civil Rights Committee Chair Debi Rose, Council Members Brad Lander, Jumaane Williams. Hearings are scheduled for October 10th on the four bills that together make up the Community Safety Act.
 
"This is a great step," said PTH member Duwon. "The City Council needs to pass the Community Safety Act because homeless people need not be arrested just for trying to get a night’s rest somewhere, be it the subway car or platform, a transportation hub, airport, vehicle, or on the damn ground."
 
The hearing will be in the main chambers of the City Council. Click here for the full details. And call PTH Civil Rights Organizer Shaun Lin at 646-314-6423 if you have further questions or want to join us! 


Specifically, the Council will hear testimony pertaining to these four bills:

  • Intro 801, requiring NYPD officers to identify themselves to the people they stop and frisk, including providing a business card with their name, precinct, and badge number, so they can be held accountable for violations of people's rights.
  • Intro 799, ensuring that, prior to a conducting a consensual search of an individual who is not also under arrest, NYPD officers explain that the individual has the right to consent or refuse the search, and obtain verbal or written consent.
  • Intro 800, amending the current definition of racial profiling, allowing people or groups affected by bias-based policing to bring a lawsuit.
  • Intro 881, establishing an independent Inspector General for the NYPD, to review NYPD policies, practices, programs and operations - and to recommend corrective action when necessary.