Maybe it’s due to fewer officers on the street, or perhaps the city of New York is feeling pressure now that it is the subject of a civil lawsuit in federal court. But, whatever the motivation, it’s surely good news that stop-and-frisks are down for the first quarter of 2013. Continue reading “NYPD’s “Stop-and-Frisk” Tactics Down in First Quarter of 2013”
NYPD Defends Itself Against Allegations of Quotas
Workers in the manufacturing and production industry are given quotas. It’s a number they aim for to make their workday productive. Their employer sets these numbers purposefully high to encourage harder work, more effort, and ultimately a better outcome for their business. But, what if police departments set quotas for officers—giving them a certain number of arrests or searches that must be performed in a certain time period? That’s exactly what the NYPD is accused of doing, among other things, and their defense to the allegations is laughable and not vindicating. Continue reading “NYPD Defends Itself Against Allegations of Quotas”
Anti-Crime Bill Passes NY State Senate
Sometimes proposed bills can be pushed through more quickly because they happen to be introduced at a time when emotions are high. An anti-crime package passed the State Senate this past week on the heels of the Boston Marathon bombing and another foiled attack planned on a Canadian train which would have eventually arrived in NYC. As fears and concerns over terrorism are heightened, the bill—which includes a few anti-terror law changes—was an easy pass for lawmakers. Continue reading “Anti-Crime Bill Passes NY State Senate”
Criminal Charges in the Bronx? You May Be Waiting A While…
When you’re up against criminal charges, a certain amount of delays are expected. Rarely does the criminal justice process move quickly. But as a new investigative report from the New York Times shows, if your charges are in the Bronx, you could be waiting an exceptionally long time. Continue reading “Criminal Charges in the Bronx? You May Be Waiting A While…”
Mayor Bloomberg Warns “Big Brother” is Inevitable
People’s privacy concerns are at an all time high, mainly because the potential of the U.S. government or state government’s abilities to infringe upon those rights is similarly higher than ever. While you might be concerned about cameras on every street corner or drones flying overhead, NYC Mayor Bloomberg says your concerns are futile and that a Big Brother state is inevitable. Continue reading “Mayor Bloomberg Warns “Big Brother” is Inevitable”
Flatbush Protests Over NYPD-Killed Youth End in Arrests, Frustrations
When you live in New York City, stories of cops profiling or even shooting unarmed black men likely don’t come as a surprise. That’s not to say that the NYPD encourages their own brand of justice outside the law, or that all NYPD officers are “bad”, but certainly that any rift between the force and the people has largely been drawn on the actions of these brazen officers and the policies that protect them. Continue reading “Flatbush Protests Over NYPD-Killed Youth End in Arrests, Frustrations”
Class Action Lawsuit Declared Against NYPD for Stop and Frisk
According to the NYPD, stopping and frisking people reduces crime. It’s an effective strategy for making the streets safer. According to the people they stop, it’s not only unfair, it’s a violation of their 4th Amendment rights and it’s racist. That violation of rights is the basis of a class action lawsuit against the city, a lawsuit that was just granted class action status by a federal judge. Continue reading “Class Action Lawsuit Declared Against NYPD for Stop and Frisk”
NYC Marijuana Arrests Down 22%
Thirty-five years ago New York state lawmakers decided it wasn’t against an arrestable offense to have a small amount of pot on you, as long as it remained out of site. Still, however, more than 39,000 people were arrested for low-level pot possession charges last year. While this marks a drop of 22%, it indicates there is still major work to be done.
Continue reading “NYC Marijuana Arrests Down 22%”
NYCLU’s “Stop and Frisk” IPhone App Lets You Record Police
Last June we informed our readers that the New York Civil Liberties Union launched a phone app allowing New Yorkers to document their encounters with the “boys in blue.” Well the app has proved successful, being downloaded by over 20,000 people since that time despite being available only on limited phones. Now, the NYCLU is expanding the reach of Stop and Frisk Watch by making it available for iPhones. Continue reading “NYCLU’s “Stop and Frisk” IPhone App Lets You Record Police”
NY Bail System is Expensive and Senseless
In his annual State of the Judiciary speech, Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman was very critical of New York’s bail system and called for significant changes. He said, much in agreement with reforms happening across the country, that the system is biased against the poor and simultaneously often fails to keep the general public safe. Continue reading “NY Bail System is Expensive and Senseless”