Top-ranking officials of the New York Police Department, namely, Department Chief Jeffrey Maddrey and Deputy Commissioner of Legal Matters Michael Gerber, were subjected to a rigorous line of questioning by council members about the department’s policies related to stop and frisk. The city representatives sought explanations for the growing number of police stops in the city that was apparent in the recent years. This probing interrogation took place in a high-stakes hearing on Monday that tested the patience and resilience of those present.
The City Council’s Committee of Public Safety played host to the high-ranking officials from NYPD, in addition to representatives from the G.A.N.G.S Coalition and the Legal Aid Society. The central point of the discussion was the efficiency of the How Many Stops Act, a law necessitating officers to maintain a detailed record of all civilian investigative encounters.
Even though the mayor vetoed the act shortly after its passage, the veto was overridden with a massive 42-9 vote in the Council’s favor. As a direct consequence of this voting outcome, the act came into full effect. Since the Adams administration assumed power, there has been a discernible uptick in the number of stops.
In the year before Mayor Eric Adams’ election in 2021, the recorded stops were around 9,000. This figure experienced a significant jump in the subsequent year, ballooning to about 15,000. The upward trend didn’t stop there, as evidenced by the 17,000 stops recorded by a federal monitor in 2023, who was assigned the task of scrutinizing the constitutionality of the practice.
Jumaane Williams, the Public Advocate, highlighted on Monday that individuals of color were the primary targets of these stops. Williams, who championed the How Many Stops Act, remained disappointed at the unchanged trend of NYPD stops, even after the law had been passed. He expressed concern over the specifics of the stops that were taking place.
Accusations were also leveled against the NYPD by the G.A.N.G.S Coalition during Monday’s hearing, particularly relating to the department’s use of the Criminal Group Database. This NYPD resource, accessible to all officers, comprises predominantly of Black and Latino New Yorkers. The organization accused that the existence of such a database fuels harassment against specific individuals or entire neighborhoods. Adding on, they argued that removal from this list posed an almost insurmountable challenge for a listed New Yorker.
A spokesperson for the Coalition uttered concerns over the rising frequency of stops, frisks, and searches. The officer mentioned that the department’s neighborhood safety teams, public safety teams, and housing officers are the ones primarily engaging in self-initiated, unconstitutional stops and searches.
An air of frustration was evident in the words of City Council Member Diana Ayala, upset over the lack of clear responses as to why police stops were disproportionately higher for people of color. Ayala expressed her dissatisfaction, ‘The disturbingly high representation of Black and brown people needs a reasonable explanation. It’s imperative for us as lawmakers to understand, enabling a more efficient collaboration with the NYPD.’
When called upon, NYPD Chief, Jeffrey Maddrey justified the increased stops as the department’s response to a surge in city crime rates, particularly incidents involving firearms. Maddrey brought attention to the historically lower crime stats from 2016 through 2018, stating, ‘The trend in crime has been upward, particularly post-COVID.’
Deputy Commissioner Michael Gerber shared insights regarding the NYPD’s initial disapproval of incorporating level one stops into their reports, a requirement under the How Many Stops Act. Despite earlier reservations, Gerber ensured that they are adhering to the law now. He also highlighted that officers undergo obligatory racial bias training regularly.
Gerber urged the council members to consider the long-term data displaying a drastic reduction in stop levels when compared to 2013, ‘There has undoubtedly been a significant hike within the past two to three years. However, if observed over a decade, one would notice a tremendous decline.’
Advocacy groups have expressed concerns that even level-one stops – situations where civilians aren’t under investigation and are free to decline an officer’s questions – can lead to traumatic experiences. An unfortunate account of an NYPD officer allegedly taking his brother’s life following an unauthorized stop was shared by a Justice Committee representative.
Relating his personal experiences, the representative detailed instances when he’d been arbitrarily stopped that have left him fearing for his life. He recounted an episode from the previous July. As he was innocently walking, officers leaped out of their vehicles to question him about a suspicious bulge in his bag, which turned out to be a harmless hairbrush potentially mistaken for a weapon.
The representative vividly expressed the aftermath of this incident, ‘I have stopped carrying that bag and that brush.’ His experience stands as a reminder of the fear and anxiety that such police encounters can evoke in civilians and the lasting impact they can have.