6 BROOKLYN NEWS WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG
BRIDGING POLICE AND COMMUNITY
In an attempt to bridge the gap
between police and community, as well
as protect Brooklynites after several
police-civilian confrontations roiled
the city, Borough President Adams has
been working tirelessly to make sure
there are transparency and trust, and
specific guidelines exist to pave the
path for a brighter future and better
relations.
After a series of town halls and
digital youth dialogues, held alongside
Manhattan Borough President Gale
Brewer and civil rights attorney
Norman Siegel, were hosted by
Borough President Adams earlier this
year, a detailed report -– outlining
key findings in how to better the
relationship between police and
community -– was released.
“As a victim of police brutality during
my teenage years, and later as a
man who decided to work from the
inside of One Police Plaza to achieve
reform, I know on a personal level
what is at stake if we cannot restore
the symbiotic relationship between
the community and police: the safety
and security of New Yorkers lie in
the balance,” said Borough President
Adams, a 22-year veteran of the
NYPD. “The town halls and digital
dialogues we hosted in Brooklyn with
hundreds of New Yorkers were more
than an opportunity for emotional
release; they were a crucial exercise
in understanding where policecommunity
relations are and where
they need to go.”
The report’s findings, gathered from
over 1,000 New Yorkers, were compiled
from a series of community forums
held in both Manhattan and Brooklyn,
along with four digital dialogues
hosted by Adams with students across
Brooklyn connecting over Google
Hangout. Schools that participated
included Bishop Kearney High School
in Bensonhurst, Boricua College in
Williamsburg, Brooklyn Academy of
Science and Environment in Crown
Heights, Brooklyn Amity School in
Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn College
in Midwood, Brooklyn Technical High
School in Fort Greene, Eagle Academy
for Young Men II in Ocean Hill, El
Puente Academy for Peace and Justice
in Williamsburg, Magen David Yeshivah
High School in Gravesend, Mott Hall
Bridges Academy in Brownsville,
M.S. 582 Upper Academy in East
Williamsburg, St. Francis College in
Brooklyn Heights, and Sunset Park
High School in Sunset Park.
Some of the report’s
recommendations include: ensuring
that training materials for NYPD officers
properly outline the Supreme Court’s
standards for “reasonable suspicion;”
appointing a permanent Statewide
Independent Special Prosecutor to
investigate allegations of misconduct;
strengthening the Civilian Complaint
Review Board system with an
increased budget, greater staff
resources, and disciplinary authority;
lengthening Police Academy Training
from six months to a full year;
offering sabbaticals at partial salary
to NYPD officers; reforming “Broken
Windows” policing by decriminalizing
many non-threatening behaviors; and
implementing body cameras for patrol
officers once proper protocols are in
place.
In addition, the research concluded
that in order to strengthen community
and neighborhood policing, the NYPD
should create a new diversity plan
that allows peace officers to take
the police exam if they have served
honorably for at least two years in
their roles; designate more officers
to Community Affairs and Youth roles
in police precincts; assign more
experienced patrol officers to regular
beats; and establish different hiring,
training, and evaluation criteria for
officers engaged in “neighborhood
policing” work.
Additionally, Borough President
Adams has been a serious advocate for
changes to the NYPD’s “use of force”
policy –- updated in early October-—
as well as for diversity within the
police force, commenting on Police
Commissioner William Bratton’s
statements about the inadequate
hiring of non-white officers, calling
it a “long-standing predicament that
the NYPD has failed, over the course
of several mayoral administrations,
to adequately address.”
“It is my hope that this report,
and all of the efforts and energies
that went into it, help to strengthen
our foundation with a greater
understanding of the challenges
that lie ahead of us,” said Borough
President Adams. “Moreover, I look
forward to a thoughtful consideration
of the recommendations this process
has borne as opportunities to make
New York City a more safe, just,
and equitable place to raise healthy
children and families.”
Anyone interested in viewing the
full “Improving Police-Community
Relations” report is encouraged to
visit Brooklyn-USA.org.
Borough President Adams hit the grill to flip some burgers with members
of the NYPD’s 84th Precinct at the National Night Out celebration in
Brooklyn Bridge Park.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS • Ensuring that training materials for NYPD officers properly
outline the Supreme Court’s standards for “reasonable suspicion.”
• Appointing a permanent Statewide Independent Special Prosecutor
to investigate allegations of misconduct.
• Strengthening the Civilian Complaint Review Board system with
an increased budget, greater staff resources, and disciplinary authority.
• Lengthening Police Academy Training from six months to a full year.
• Offering sabbaticals at partial salary to NYPD officers.
• Reforming “Broken Windows” policing by decriminalizing many
non-threatening behaviors.
• Implementing body cameras for patrol officers once proper
protocols are in place.
• Creating a new diversity plan that allows peace officers to take the
police exam if they have served honorably for at least two years
in their roles.
• Assigning more officers to Community Affairs and Youth roles
in police precincts.
• Assigning more experienced patrol officers to regular beats.
• Establishing different hiring, training, and evaluation criteria for
officers engaged in “Neighborhood Policing” work.
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