Dear Supporters, We want to start this month’s newsletter with some great news! New York state Senator Zellnor Myrie, the Chair of the Codes Committee, is now the Senate sponsor for the SAFTE bill! We’re thrilled to be working with him, along with Assemblymember Jackson. The bill numbers are S.9840 and A.6631. Why is S. 9840/A. 6631 Needed? Nationally, police stop over 20 million people in traffic stops per year. In New York City alone, the NYPD stop over 1 million people per year. Many of these stops are for low-level, non-safety infractions, such as dangling objects from a rearview mirror. Research shows that these non-safety stops don’t increase safety. For example, non-safety stops rarely result in the discovery of guns or other contraband. A Nashville study showed that less than 1% of low-level, non-moving traffic stops resulted in the arrest or citation of someone for possessing a weapon. Additionally, reducing non-safety stops doesn’t limit the police’s ability to conduct safety stops like speeding. For example, after reducing non-safety stops, a Connecticut police department increased DUI stops by 250%. In fact, research shows non-safety stops cause harm. There are stark racial disparities in non-safety stops; people of color are more likely to be stopped and searched. Non-safety stops also increase the risk of economic, physical, and psychological harm in communities of color. How Will S. 9840/A. 6631 Help? If passed, this bill will: - Mandate statewide data collection/transparency to assess demographic differences in non-safety stops.
- Ban certain low-level, non-safety stops.
- Limit searches resulting from non-safety stops.
- Restrict stops for certain low-level warrants such as failure to pay a fine.
- Prohibit racial profiling and strengthen methods of addressing suspected racial profiling in criminal procedures.
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- We have monthly coalition calls on the third Wednesdays of the month at 4 pm. The next call is on May 20 at 4 PM. Join us by clicking the button below!
- We are planning a lobby day in Albany in early May, to talk to policymakers about the issue and the bill. If you are interested in joining us, please reach out to America Rivera using the button below
- We will be collecting memos of support. More to come!
Let’s get to work! | |
