Report: Beyond "Deliberate Indifference": An NYPD for All New Yorkers (2013)

The NYCLU’s report -- Beyond “Deliberate Indifference”: An NYPD for All New Yorkers – documents the failures of the NYPD under the Bloomberg administration with regard to discriminatory policing practices. It also provides detailed recommendations for Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio to guide much-needed reform and offers a roadmap for a transparent, accountable NYPD that responds to, and respects, the needs of all New Yorkers.

Current police practices frequently violate the rights of New Yorkers, especially in communities of color. Black, Latino and Muslim communities are disproportionately targeted by the NYPD’s tactics, such as spying and illegal stop-and-frisks. The practices extend to New York City’s public schools, where students from communities of color and students with special needs are disproportionately suspended, arrested and pushed out of school and into the criminal justice system.

Included in the report are results from an NYCLU survey of over 5,000 New Yorkers, which demonstrated that New York is, in fact, two cities, when it comes to policing: People with more frequent police encounters say they are less likely to trust the police, seek their help or cooperate when they witness a crime. Aggressive NYPD street tactics thus undermine efforts to keep New Yorkers safe.

Beyond “Deliberate Indifference”: An NYPD for All New Yorker invites serious consideration of how the NYPD serves the city, and urges the Mayor-elect to take vital steps toward NYPD reform.