The City Council on Wednesday approved a bill requiring police officers to document every investigative encounter with civilians.
The How Many Stops Act requires quarterly reports of all police officers’ formal interactions with the public.
Councilor Alexa Avilés, one of the promoters of the bill, posted a message on social networks about its approval.
“Today, the How Many Stops Act passed the New York City Council with a veto-proof majority. ☒ï¸
“I have deep admiration for the families who have lost loved ones to police violence, having fought for decades for accountability and reliving trauma in search of justice,” the councilwoman wrote.
Today, the How Many Stops Act passed the New York City Council with a veto proof majority. âï¸
I have deep admiration for the families who have lost loved ones to police violence, having fought for decades for accountability and reliving traumas in pursuit of justice. pic.twitter.com/CfwFzE4tQA
â NYC Council Member Alexa Avilés (@NYCCouncil38) December 20, 2023
“We are trying to understand the scale and scope of policing in New York City,†Avilés, who introduced the bill in July 2022, further said, cited by Gothamist.
Mayor Eric Adams will have 30 days to sign the bill into law or veto it. However, the bill passed the Council with a two-thirds majority, meaning there were enough votes to override the mayor’s veto.
Currently, police officers are only required to document a “Level 3” investigative stop, defined by the NYPD’s patrol guide as cases where there is “reasonable suspicion” that the detained person has committed or is committing a crime.
The “Level 1†and “Level 2†encounters that officers will now have to report range from requesting basic information about a person (their identification, for that matter) to asking accusatory questions. “Informal” conversations, such as asking for directions, do not meet the “Level 1” threshold.
Proponents of the law, including public defender Jumaane Williams, who co-sponsored the bill, said the bill aims to hold police officers accountable for unlawful arrests.
“Introduction 586-A, half of the #HowManyStops Act, provides vital reporting and transparency about NYPD stops.
“This information is critical to preventing the practices that led to the abuse of Stop, Question and Frisk prior to the Community Safety Act: “Williams wrote in a message on social media.
Intro 586-A, one half of the #HowManyStopsActprovides vital reporting and transparency around NYPD stops.
This information is critical to prevent the practices that led to the abuse of Stop, Question, and Frisk prior to the Community Safety Act: [3/7] pic.twitter.com/FUeCPIP0Vo
â Office of the Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams (@nycpa) December 20, 2023
Opponents of the measure, including the mayor, said it would bog down officers with unnecessary paperwork and prevent them from doing police work.
2023-12-21 12:09:00
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