THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER JUMAANE D. WILLIAMS
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CONTACT:
Kevin Fagan, Director of Communications
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| December 14, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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WILLIAMS, LANDER ANNOUNCE OPPOSITION TO
CURRENT 'RIGHT TO KNOW' BILL 0182-D
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NEW YORK, NY:
Council Member Jumaane D. Williams (D-Brooklyn)
, Deputy Leader, and Council Member Brad Lander,
released the following statement announcing their opposition to Intro. 0182-D, one half of the legislation known as the Right to Know Act.
STATEMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
WILLIAMS AND LANDER
"Six years ago, we set a goal to create transformational change in the way we think about policing, and ultimately, to save lives, with a broad package of legislation aimed at addressing biased-based policing, including abuses of stop, question and frisk. This Council, the current administration, and this commissioner have helped create significant progress following the passage of two landmark pieces of legislation from that package known as the Community Safety Act. These achievements should be celebrated, with the recognition there is much more work to be done."
"We have seen substantial victories, but two pieces of legislation from our original effort still remain, the bills commonly known as the Right to Know Act. While we are supportive of Intro 0541-C, unfortunately today we announce our opposition to Intro 0182-D in its present form."
"The current bill being considered is markedly different and would be significantly less effective than the legislation we first introduced half a decade ago. Essential elements have been watered down and stripped out, including the majority of police-civilian stops, as well as traffic stops. Removing these provisions strikes at the heart of what the original Right to Know Act aimed to accomplish."
"We also believe it is critical to support and embrace the role of civil rights groups, community-based organizations, labor unions, and especially people on-the-ground in communities of more color who are most impacted by these policies. Communities United for Police Reform has been a model coalition in organizing and bringing people to the table, channeling passion into proposals, loss into legislation, and building a movement for broader reform. We therefore believe it is critical to stand with them. Durable, meaningful changes will not come from deals that exclude the advocates and communities on the front lines."
"This bill in its current form would do some good, and has some merit. It would be easy to pass this bill and pat ourselves on the back, but this conversation, this issue, is not an easy one. Compromise is important, and we have worked with the NYPD to make substantial compromises on each of the other three bills in this package, but not one-sided, unwarranted concessions. We remain committed to addressing the concerns of the NYPD while ensuring that civilians have essential protections, and hope to do so in the next Council session."
"For an issue so important, a cause so vital, we believe that it is worth the investment of time and energy to address it correctly. To engage in this kind of zero sum game, at the last possible moment, does not meet that standard. After waiting six years, four this term, for this bill to be voted on, we are willing to wait a little longer, work a little more, push a little harder, to pass legislation that will continue to create the change we need on the streets of the city."
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