Myrie, Richardson Introduce Comprehensive Police Reform Package
State Sen. Zellnor Y. Myrie (D-Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Gowanus, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, South Slope, Sunset Park) and Assembly Member Diana C. Richardson (D-Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens), today as part of the State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus, invite members of the community, advocates, and colleagues in government to join them for a press conference in Grand Army Plaza to introduce a package of comprehensive police reform.
The package includes:
- Repeal of 50-a | A.2513/S.3695 (O’Donnell/Bailey)
- False 9-1-1 Complaints | A.3566 (Ortiz/Benjamin)
- Office of the Special Prosecutor | A.1601a/S.2574a (Perry/Bailey)
- Police STAT Act | A.5472/S.1830b (Lentol/Hoylman)
- Right to Monitor Act | A.1360a/S.3253 (Perry/Parker)
- Local Independent Oversight of Police | S.7527 (Richardson/Myrie)
- Medical Attention for Persons Under Arrest | A.8226/S.6601 (Fernandez/Bailey)
- Establishes the Crime of Strangulation | A.6144/S.6670a (Mosley/Benjamin)
- Failure to Obtain Medical Care | A.3056b/S.4076 (Fernandez/Biaggi)
- Bans Racial/Ethnic Profiling by Police | A.4615/S.1137A (Bichotte/Benjamin)
- Reducing Arrests for Non-Criminal Offenses | A.4053/S.2571 (Aubry/Bailey)
- Expanded Use of Law Enforcement Body Cameras
- Body Cameras for NYS Police | A.8674/S.6686 (Walker/Parker)
- Body Cameras for MTA Police | A.8943a/S.06793a (Reyes/Ramos)
The event is slated for 3 p.m., today, June 4 at the Arch, 20 Grand Army Plaza.
Louis Commends Protesters for Success Push t Upgrade Charges in Floyd Killing
City Council Member Farah N. Louis (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Marine Park, Flatlands, & Kensington Brooklyn) yesterday commended protesters for their role in the Office of Minneapolis Attorney General Keith Ellison upgrading charges against Officer Derek Chauvin who knelt on George Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes.
Chauvin is now charged with second-degree murder, in addition to the original charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter with culpable negligence. The other three officers on the scene were charged with aiding and abetting murder for failing to intervene.
“The decisions to elevate the charges against George Floyd’s murderer and charge three more officers involved is a welcome relief. It is a testament to the power of a collective voice— but it should not take days of protests to bring these perpetrators to justice,” said Louis.
“Furthermore, justice will not truly exist until we commit to reforming a racist system. I am so proud of my community and my people for the work we have done in service of a more equitable future, and I promise to keep working until we get there,” she added.
Clarke Responds to 45’s Handling of Protestors
Yvette D. Clarke (D-Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Kensington, Midwood, Prospect Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Park Slope) issued the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s handling of recent instances of targeted police brutality and protests across the nation;
“45 did not create the systemic racism that has caused this moment, but he has spent three years fanning the flames of hatred and spent the last week emboldening the police to continue their wanton aggression against peaceful protestors. As the nation continues to try to survive the COVID-19 pandemic, a crisis substantially exacerbated by a lack of executive leadership, many Americans have taken to the streets to voice deeply held convictions about the longstanding, nearly inherent inequities of our system.”
“The reaction of the executive branch exposes an underlying truth that both sides of the aisle could likely agree on: the White House is more concerned with order than justice. By declaring himself the ‘law and order President,’ 45 has dug deeper into the open wounds that have plagued this nation since its founding and has long since abdicated any responsibility he has regarding the moral leadership of the nation.”
Wright Announces New Endorsement for Senate
Assemblymember Tremaine Wright (D-Bed-Stuy, Northern Crown Heights), candidate for the New York State Senate District 25 seat, announced a new endorsement from Communications Workers of America (“CWA”) Local 1180.
“I am grateful for the support of CWA Local 1180, which is committed to protecting the lives of working people in New York. I am honored to have their support as I fight for working families in my community,” said Wright.
Local 1180 represents 9,000 members who work for City of New York agencies and several authorities, a dozen-plus nonprofit organizations, and more than 6,200 retirees. As administrative and supervisory workers, they process payrolls, manage computer systems, monitor contracts, pay vendors, supervise front-line staff, and more. They are part of the international CWA that represents 700,000 workers in private and public sector employment, in sectors such as telecommunications and information technology, the airline industry, news media, broadcast and cable television, healthcare, public service and education, law enforcement, manufacturing and other fields.
Gillibrand Condemns Trump’s Threat to Use Military
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joined Senate Democrats in condemning the Trump administration’s threat to use military units meant for combat to protect Trump’s political interests.
“Rather than listen or acknowledge the legitimate pain of protesters and the black community, President Trump has sought to divide us further, eagerly inflaming tensions and sowing anger and fear,” said Gillibrand. “His continued threats to use violence against peaceful protesters and deploy our military to states is outrageous and deeply troubling. The Department of Defense must immediately answer whether the Department would deploy federal troops outside of the use of the Insurrection Act and I demand that combat units are not used to impede on Americans’ civil liberties in the fight for racial justice.”
Amidst nationwide protests calling for justice following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, President Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to suppress peaceful protests. In a letter to U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, Gillibrand and her colleagues expressed deep concerns over the use of the military to restrict Americans’ First Amendment rights.
