Comments on the NYPD’s Proposed Disciplinary Matrix

The NYCLU submitted comments regarding the New York Police Department’s proposed disciplinary matrix. Defending New Yorkers’ right to be free from discriminatory and abusive policing requires robust systems for investigating abusive officers and holding them accountable for misconduct. Unfortunately, those systems have long been broken in New York City.

Read the Comments

The NYCLU has historically called for the implementation of a disciplinary matrix, but merely having a set of guidelines is not enough. That’s because at the end of the day, the utility of any set of disciplinary guidelines is only as strong as the NYPD’s willingness to actually follow those guidelines and to commit to holding officers accountable for misconduct. While we offer comments and suggestions related to the current draft below, the NYCLU notes that a culture change – not simply a set of guidelines – must occur within the Department if the NYPD is to credibly argue that it is committed to holding officers accountable for misconduct.