Great news: the City Council voted today to override Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s vetoes on two bills known collectively as the Community Safety Act. The bills will create an independent Inspector General’s office to oversee the NYPD, make it illegal for cops profile citizens, based on a slew of factors including sexual orientation and housing status, […]
Al Jazeera America has a fascinating profile on Jose LaSalle, a parks worker who has made it his personal mission to ensure New York City cops aren’t overstepping their bounds when it comes to stop-and-frisk. Nightly, LaSalle patrols the streets of Harlem, Brownsville, or the Bronx with his camera, looking for cops stopping and frisking teenagers […]
The federal ruling that deemed the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk tactics unconstitutional was a landmark decision, but the battle is far from over. Mayor Bloomberg, who recently said “I think we disproportionately stop whites too much and minorities too little,” already said he’s going to appeal the decision. In the meantime, to keep the pressure on, ANIMAL teamed […]
A detail that we (and others) neglected to report when yesterday’s “stop-and-frisk is unconstitutional” ruling came in: police in the precinct with the highest number of stops in each borough will be required to wear cameras for a one-year pilot program, in an effort to bring more objective evidence around the tactic. “The recordings may […]
In a landmark legal ruling, Manhattan federal judge Shira Scheindlin ruled that the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk practice violated New Yorkers’ constitutional rights. Scheindlin, who according to the New York Times stated “that police officers have for years been systematically stopping innocent people in the street without any objective reason to suspect them of wrongdoing,” plans to […]
We showed you a preview of the art that the NYPD wanted to censor and now here is some actual video from the sound and light installation in the Park Avenue tunnel. It was created by artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer to help promote the DOT’s Summer Streets program. As you’ll see, it was basically like walking […]
Cops! They’re just like us, because they take pictures of themselves! Only they’re armed with authority they never abuse. And guns. They’re also armed with guns. Here’s a selection of cops making duck-faces from a new, single-serving Tumblr. There’s only one question. It’s a little philosophical though. […]
We knew this was coming, but still. Amid the hubbub over Carlos Danger and his sexting problem, Mayor Bloomberg vetoed the Community Safety Act, a package of bills that would bring new independent oversight to the NYPD. The legislation passed with a veto-proof majority last month, and Bloomberg vowed a veto immediately, targeting council members […]
Forgive Ray Kelly if he’s feeling a little under attack lately. After President Obama suggested the NYPD Commissioner would make a good candidate for Secretary of Homeland Security, people have been coming out of the woodwork in protest–there have been demonstrations, editorials in major newspapers, and criticism from mayoral candidates. Now, Kelly is striking back […]
Cyclists are legally allowed to ride outside of bike lanes in the city when they see fit and yet countless cyclists continue to be cited by the NYPD for this so-called offense. Dan Connor, 29, is one those people. He received two tickets in just over two weeks. One of the officers jotted down “Failure […]
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