PUBLIC ADVOCATE CALLS FOR ANSWERS FOLLOWING VIDEO OF ARREST BY NYPD WARRANT SQUAD

  After video surfaced of the arrest of Nikki Stone, a transgender woman at a protest Tuesday night - an incident later explained by the NYPD to be the Warrant Squad utilizing an unmarked car - Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams demanded answers and accountability from the NYPD Commissioner.

  In a letter, the Public Advocate says "The actions the world saw yesterday demonstrate a clear need to change how we police protestors engaging in their rights to assemble and gather," and requested information on several aspects of the arrest, including how these aggressive tactics were selected relative to the nature of the allegations against Ms. Stone and whether they are often used in relation to similar allegations. He also probed the protocols in place for arrests by the Warrant Squad, including whether and when Miranda rights are read.

The full letter is below.

Dear Commissioner Shea:

I write with grave concern regarding the New York Police Department Warrant Squad's arrest of a transgender woman on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. The actions the world saw yesterday demonstrate a clear need to change how we police protestors engaging in their rights to assemble and gather.

This morning, the Mayor said this was not only a matter of "wrong place, wrong time," but an action that makes it difficult to build trust between police and our communities. To that end, I request your response to the following questions on the tactics deployed by the NYPD yesterday: 

1. Have previous cases for alleged damage of property ever led to similar tactics by the NYPD we saw in the videos yesterday?  If so, how frequently are those tactics used in those instances?
2. How did the New York Police Department determine the tactics used in the viral video to force a transgender woman in an unmarked car?
3. At what point of any arrest in an unmarked van by Warrant Squad are Miranda rights read? 
4. What other criminal charges have ever led to plainclothes officers forcibly removing protestors if any?
5. Was an arrest warrant, signed by a judge, issued to make this or any arrest on July 28?
6. What protocols must be followed by the Warrant Squad when serving someone a warrant?

I hope you will understand the urgency of this request, and I look forward to receiving your response on this matter. Please contact First Deputy Public Advocate Nick E. Smith at nsmith@advocate.nyc.gov with any questions.  Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jumaane D. Williams

Public Advocate for the City of New York

PUBLIC ADVOCATE INTRODUCES LEGISLATION PROMOTING POLICE TRANSPARENCY AND PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF MINORS

  New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams introduced multiple pieces of legislation in the City Council today to advance transparency in policing and protect the rights of minors in police custody amid a citywide and national movement for police reform.

"In the midst of a long-overdue national conversation on policing and public safety, it is critical to support transparency and protect against abuses, whether a police encounter is on the street or in a precinct," said Public Advocate Williams of the bills. "These legislative efforts are part of a broader reimagining of what public safety is, and how law enforcement and civilians interact."

The first of the bills, Intro 2013, would provide transparency in police use of force by Taser or other electronic weapon by requiring police officers to download the electrical weapon data at the end of each tour. The bill would also require that for any new contracts, contract renewals, or contract modifications of body worn cameras, such cameras must be capable of automatically beginning recording when an electrical weapon is armed or its trigger is pulled.

A 2019 report by the Civilian Complaint Review Board indicated the NYPD only downloads Taser data in the event of a critical incident or suspected misconduct, rather than as a routine. It recommended that it should do more to train officers and prevent any improper use, as well as provide detailed reporting on such use. 

The analysis further showed a racial disparity in complaints related to Taser usage, with 53% of complainants being Black and 67% of officers involved being white. It also noted an increase in the number of Tasers used by the department, particularly from 2016-2017, and a commensurate increase in the number of Taser discharge events.

The second piece of legislation, Intro 2012, would require the NYPD Commissioner to

report on custodial interrogations of minors. Such report would include:

• The total number of times the department attempted to conduct a custodial interrogation of a minor in the previous quarter
• The precinct of the arresting officer and borough where the arrest took place
• Whether a parent or legal guardian of the minor was informed of the arrest prior to the interrogation
• Whether the minor spoke to an attorney prior to the interrogation
• Whether the minor was notified of their Miranda Rights, and whether the minor waived such rights.. 

The Public Advocate also introduced a resolution calling on the Governor and State Legislature to enact S4980A/A6982, which would make it clear that police are required to immediately notify parents that their child will be taken into custody before taking the child into custody and would amend the criminal procedure law to require that persons under 18-years-old consult with counsel before being subjected to custodial interrogation.

Issues surrounding police interrogations of young people have long been controversial, from the questioning of the young boys then known as the Central Park Five in 1989 to questions stemming from interrogations related to the 2019 murder of Tessa Majors in Morningside Park.

Rep. Adriano Espaillat Statement on Revel Suspending Moped Services in New York City

   Representative Adriano Espaillat released the following statement in response to Revel’s announcement today that it will suspend operations of its electric moped-sharing service in New York City. The announcement comes following pressure from Rep. Espaillat to halt the service in the wake of a spate of deaths and critical injuries.

“Like so many others, I am relieved that Revel suspended service and acknowledged that its standards for operational safety, customer training, and rider accountability fall short of protecting the public health and safety of New Yorkers,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). “That said, it should not have taken two deaths and a barrage of other troubling incidents – including one that left a constituent of mine in critical condition – for Revel to take this necessary action.”

“Nonetheless, there should now be a concerted effort with city officials and the input of key community stakeholders, to ensure the safety of Revel users and others on our streets before the company restores operations in our city. New York has and always will be a center for innovation, especially in the transportation space, but that cannot come at the expense of our safety. We must use this opportunity to put mechanisms in place that ensure the safety of New Yorkers is protected before new and unvetted products, services and technologies hit our streets,” said Rep. Espaillat.

This past Saturday, Rep. Espaillat became the first elected official in New York City to call for Revel’s operations to be suspended pending a safety review in the wake of a spate of accidents. Last week, Nina Kapur, a 26-year-old television reporter for CBS in New York died after she was thrown from a Revel while riding in Brooklyn. Nina was a passenger when her 26-year-old male companion who was driving swerved for unknown reasons. On Saturday, a 30-year-old man was left in critical condition after losing control of his moped and crashing into a pole in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan, in Rep. Espaillat’s district. His passenger sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Another similar, tragic incident occurred early this morning in Queens, leaving yet another rider dead.

Rep. Espaillat is the only member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee from New York City. He has authored and advanced various legislation at the federal level that would improve safety on local streets for all users, including pedestrians and bicyclists. His Transportation Alternatives Enhancements Act passed in the House this year as part of a larger infrastructure package advanced by House Democrats. Components of his Complete Streets Act and his Safe and Friendly for the Environment (SAFE) Streets Act were also included in the package.

MAYOR DE BLASIO SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER TO SUPPORT MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS

Taskforce On Racial Inclusion and Equity announces citywide push to help entrepreneurs of color start and grow their own businesses

  Mayor Bill de Blasio today signed an Executive Order to immediately strengthen the City’s utilization of Minority and Women-Owned Businesses (M/WBEs) and announced a series of new programs with the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity to connect Black and Latinx entrepreneurs to business opportunities, including government contract matching, access to pro bono business consultants and mentorship networks. The project also will provide an opportunity for non-certified businesses to learn how to do business with the City.

 

The Executive Order includes directives focused on expanding the pool of contracts subject to the M/WBE program, and creating more opportunities for M/WBEs to win procurements, and establishes a Chief Diversity M/WBE Officer in all City agencies. It also encourages all City agencies to procure goods, services, and construction from M/WBEs for amounts up to $500,000, and increases oversight for high-values projects. In addition, the Executive Order ensures M/WBEs’ continued involvement in the City’s response to the ongoing State of Emergency by ensuring City agencies set M/WBE participation goals for contracts in response to the pandemic, and by requiring every City agency that is conducting procurement in response to the State of Emergency must consider at least one quote from a M/WBE before awarding the contract.

 

“Our City works best when everyone – regardless of race, gender or ethnicity – has the resources they need to participate in our economy,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “With these programs, we’re bringing business opportunities directly to diverse and talented New Yorkers who provide our City with a variety of goods and services.”

 

"COVID-19 has hit communities of color especially hard, and the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity has stepped in to address the disparity in opportunities that are available.” said First Lady Chirlane McCray. "These directives will help level the playing field for black and brown entrepreneurs so they can build and grow businesses that stabilize our local communities with good-paying jobs, and contribute to the vibrancy of our city."

 

This work is supported by the Administration's Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity, which brings an equity-based approach to COVID-19 response and recovery efforts in hardest-hit communities. Services and supports are tailored to meet the unique challenges of New Yorkers in communities of color that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

 

A case-management structure will be developed to proactively identify a subset of Black and Latinx certified firms and match them to contracts. Anchor institutions such as universities, hospitals, cultural centers will also support this work with a focus on outreach to minority businesses to encourage them to compete for government contracts. In addition, the City will recruit pro-bono business consultants to provide business and operations planning to businesses in Black and Latinx communities. The City will also help Black and Latinx communities to create online and in person mentorship networks for entrepreneurs and small businesses of color.

 

“Minority and women-owned businesses hire people in the community whom other businesses won’t take a chance on, serve as the eyes and ears that help keep communities safe, and form the bedrock that our communities can build upon,” said J. Phillip Thompson, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives and Co-Chair of the Racial Inclusion and Equity Taskforce. “M/WBEs have done so much for us and now need our support as the economic and health effects of the pandemic disproportionately impact them. Today’s actions will secure the meaningful participation of M/WBEs in City contracting – especially Black and Latino businesses, and within that group, Black, Latina, and Asian women-owned businesses – and help to ensure an equitable recovery in New York City.”

 

“As New York City continues to recover, it is imperative that we address the inequities exposed by the pandemic, and that includes building economic empowerment for our hardest-hit communities,” said Dr. Raul Perea-Henze, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services and Co-Chair of the Racial Inclusion and Equity Taskforce. “Today’s step to connect Black and Latinx entrepreneurs with more access to government contracting opportunities will ensure that our City emerges stronger and more vibrant from the crisis.”  

 

"M/WBEs are a backbone of this City and integral part of the economic vitality of black and brown communities," said Sideya Sherman, Taskforce Executive Director and NYCHA Executive Vice President for Community Engagement & Partnerships. "Through these new initiatives, entrepreneurs of color will be better positioned to compete for contracting opportunities and have networks that will help their business grow."

 

The new programs will be managed by the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) in coordination with the Office of Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises and community partners. The Administration is taking aggressive steps to strengthen M/WBEs and ensure the City’s procurement reflects the diversity of New York City businesses:

• The Administration has more than doubled the certified pool of M/WBEs since 2016 (from 4.5K to 9K), and we are nearing 10K certifications.
• In the first three quarters of FY 2020, the City reached a record 29.5% M/WBE utilization, totaling $964 million in prime and sub-contracts.
• The City is more than halfway to achieving the 10-year OneNYC goal awarding nearly $16 billion of $25 billion in contracts to M/WBEs by 2025; we are more than $1 billion ahead of schedule.
• In FY19 alone, the City awarded $3.8 billion in contracts to M/WBEs through both mayoral and non-mayoral agencies.

“M/WBE policy is about ensuring that the City's commitment to diversity is reflected in its spending and these changes are ensuring our M/WBEs are moving forward,” said Jonnel Doris, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services and Co-Chair of the Small Business Subcommittee of the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity. “Today, we continue our commitment to level the playing field and create fairer systems, making NYC more equitable for all."

 

“I am extremely honored to be part of the First Lady’s Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity. As part of this Taskforce, we heard from many minority business owners that their businesses cannot survive this crisis without government  assistance. The Mayor’s Executive Order is a significant step in addressing many of the disparities that have been revealed as a result of this pandemic and with the implementation of these initiatives, I am confident it will provide many of our minority businesses impacted by the COVID crisis with additional contracting, mentoring and technical assistance necessary for their survival,” said Suzanne Veira, Chief Diversity Officer for the NYC School Construction Authority and Co-Chair of the Small Business Subcommittee of the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity.

 

"M/WBEs are critical to the very fabric of NYC; they contribute to the vitality and vibrancy of each and every neighborhood in this city and represent the future of business and the future of the City," said Magalie Austin, Senior Advisor and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises. "They will be hard-pressed to fully recover economically if M/WBE’s are not included in our economic recovery.”

 

Shoelace Park Clean Up By Councilman Andy King Local Community and the National Guard

In what the Bronx Borough President has declared 'Clean Up Monday's' This past Monday in Council District 12 was Clean Up Shoelace Park located at Bronx River Parkway and East 219th Street. Over 25 volunteers from the Bronx River Alliance, local community, and the National Guard unit helped Councilman King clean up Shoelace Park.

Above - A few volunteer picking up the trash in Shoelace Park.

Below - Two of the National Guard detail bring up bagss of trash to the collection point.

Bronx Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez arrived after attending other events in the South Bronx, and then was off to another event.  

 

12th City Council District Community Engagement Day Saturday August 1t.

CITY PARKS FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES LIMITED OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND SPORTS PROGRAMS FOR NYC YOUTH IN PARKS THIS SUMMER

 

CITY PARKS FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES

LIMITED OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND SPORTS PROGRAMS 

FOR NYC YOUTH IN PARKS THIS SUMMER

Socially Distant Programs take place July 13 - August 6  

July 27, 2020 - New York, NY - City Parks Foundation kicked off its 2020 free summer sports and environmental education programs last week for young people in NYC. The programs, running on a limited basis and adhering to city recommended safety regulations, have resumed outdoors in parks across the city. CityParks Learn Environmental Education programs include CityParks Learn: Green Girls Empowered by ING, Coastal Classroom and Learning Gardens. CityParks Play Sports programs include: Citywide Aces Tennis, Lacoste Junior Tennis Academy, Junior Tennis Tournament Series, and the Junior Golf Center. City Parks Foundation has also been chosen to host Fresh Air Fund summer outdoor programs for youth enrolled in the program.

CityParks Learn: Green Girls Empowered by ING Summer Institute will offer 6th – 8th graders a chance to study dynamic urban forests now – August 6, Monday – Thursday (Two sessions: 10am – 12pm, 1pm – 3pm) in-person at Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City, Queens. Green Girls are encouraged to realize their potential to create change within their natural environment and learn about future careers in the sciences. This season the curriculum will focus on bird-watching, canoeing, conducting science projects or doing service, Registration is still available at cityparksfoundation.org. 

CityParks Learn: Coastal Classroom will offer 6th – 8th Graders lessons about our city’s waterways now – August 6, in-person at Kaiser Park in Coney Island, Brooklyn from Monday – Wednesday (10am – 1pm) and distance learning remotely Thursday 10am – 1pm. Science-based activities coupled with recreational opportunities such as fishing, seining and bird watching will be featured this summer, allowing students to experience our waterways as their own backyards. Registration is full and now closed.

CityParks Learn: Learning Gardens will offer a select small group of high school interns the opportunity to apply skills gained during their apprenticeship in a remote work opportunity in our own run gardens focused on environmental and food justice advocacy, NYC community nutrition and access, and career readiness. CityParks Learning Gardens are open and located in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.

CityParks Play: Tennis & Golf will offer free sports instruction for young New Yorkers this summer. Our tennis programs include our Citywide Aces Program where advanced junior players receive free specialized training in a small groups, and the Lacoste Junior Tennis Academy tournament training program. Our golf programming will take place exclusively at the Junior Golf Center, a comprehensive training facility offering free instruction and practice for youth located in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Registration is full and now closed.

Also new to 2020, City Parks Foundation is working with the Fresh Air Fund to offer “Fresh Air Open Spaces” a combination of free sports and recreation programs to kids, ages 12 - 15, including tennis and track, bird watching, plant lessons and more. The Fresh Air Fund program will be hosted in three sessions, each two weeks long at Marine Park in Brooklyn, Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx and Forest Park in Queens. 

Programs are open to the press interested in attending to cover; interviews with City Parks Foundation representatives are available. 

For more information about City Parks Foundation’s 2020 summer programs, please visit www.CityParksFoundation.org

Generous private support for CityParks Play is provided by The Linda B. and Howard S. Stern Family Foundation and The Venable Foundation. Generous public support for CityParks Play is provided by the New York City Council under the leadership of Speaker Corey Johnson. CityParks Tennis is presented by BNP Paribas, with additional support from Lacoste, The Thompson Family Foundation, The New York Community Trust - George and Valerie Delacorte Fund, The Rosen Family, Victoria & Scott Cerullo, and the Irwin Weiner Charitable Foundation. CityParks Golf Supporting Sponsors are Lacoste and The First Tee. 

Generous private support for CityParks Learn is provided by The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation, The Linda B. and Howard S. Stern Family Foundation, Lily Auchincloss Foundation, ExpandEd Schools, The Barker Welfare Foundation, MUFG Union Bank Foundation, and the Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation. Generous public support is provided by the NYC Council under the leadership of Speaker Corey Johnson. Learning Gardens is supported by TD Bank. Generous private support for Learning Gardens is provided by Con Edison, Jane and Frances Stein Foundation, and the Michael Tuch Foundation. Generous private support for Coastal Classroom is provided by The Coca-Cola Foundation and Patagonia. Green Girls is presented by ING FInancial Series. Generous private support for Green Girls is provided by The Pinkerton Foundation, the Catskill Watershed Corporation in partnership with New York City Department of Environmental Protection, and the Watershed Agricultural Council. City Parks Learn is  presented in partnership with NYC Parks. 

About City Parks Foundation

At City Parks Foundation, we are dedicated to invigorating and transforming parks into dynamic, vibrant centers of urban life through sports, arts, community building and education programs for all New Yorkers. Our programs -- located in more than 400 parks, recreation centers and public schools across New York City -- reach 310,000 people each year. Our ethos is simple: thriving parks mean thriving communities.

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE RELEASES SCHOOL RE-OPENING PROPOSAL

  Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released his proposal for a path to a safe, equitable, just re-opening of New York City schools on Monday morning amid a city and nation-wide debate on education strategies in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan, detailed in a new report, is rooted in medical science and public health recommendations, and would reintroduce in-person learning in phases, based on public health infrastructure standards being met by facility, susceptibility to contract or spread the virus, and need.  

In order to allow for critical infrastructure to be put in place and contingencies created, the plan calls for no in-school instruction until October, while remote learning would continue. Once the infrastructure is in place, elementary-school children up to age ten - whom recent research has indicated are at significantly lower risk of transmitting the coronavirus or contracting COVID-19 than older students and adults- could return to the classroom first. These classes would utilize empty middle and high school spaces in order to allow for greater social distancing. 

Prior to resuming any in-school instruction, Regional Enrichment Centers would be opened and expanded upon to provide education resources to students in greatest need, using a "pod model" which keeps students in the same small groupings andthe same rooms. Phased reopenings of in-person instruction would be conditional upon meeting key infrastructure measures necessary for re-opening. Older students would continue remote learning through at least the end of 2020, reassessing in December based on the effectiveness of COVID-19 prevention in New York City at that time.

"As we work to give our students the best education possible amid the pandemic, our priority has to be on the safety of students and staff, educators and parents," said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. "Re-opening strategies for schools, just as with any other element of reopening, need to be driven by medical science. We can never completely eliminate risk, but this proposal minimizes it to the greatest extent possible while still allowing for some students to resume in-person instruction. As the public health crisis evolves, so too can our response." 

For students to return in October, the report highlights, aggressive public health and safety measures must be adhered to, including temperature screenings, staggered schedules, robust testing within communities, contact tracing, and a strategy which keeps students in the same small groupings, the same rooms, and with the same teachers. This effort would both reduce the risk of spreading the virus and make contact tracing easier and more effective if needed. Schools would also have expanded facility cleaning procedures. 

The phased re-opening based on student ages builds on similar successes in other countries and on research and population-driven data suggesting a low transmission rate among very young students, including a recent large-scale study in South Korea which indicated that while youth age 10-19 transmit the virus as adults, younger children have a greatly diminished risk.

"Just as New York City has wisely slowly reopened, measuring the impact at each phase and reassessing at each step of the way, so, too, should we approach reopening our schools. The city has done the hard work to get to this point, and rushed reopening would run counter to that progress." said Dr. Celine Gounder, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases, NYU School of Medicine and Bellevue Hospital, and CNN Medical Analyst. "The Public Advocate's plan is the right approach. Based on laboratory, clinical, and population-level data, it seems that children under the age of 10 are at lower risk of being infected, lower risk for developing severe disease, and lower risk of transmitting coronavirus to others. We should begin by reopening in-person teaching for children under 10 and children with special needs, as long as community transmission remains suppressed in the city."

The report also emphasizes the need to improve remote learning for those students still using the method, which includes expanding access to remote learning technology and to reliable internet connections, as well as through targeted trainings for parents and teachers. 

The Public Advocate's proposal, which can be downloaded in full here, comes as the Trump administration pushed for a full reopening of schools, rejecting initial CDC guidelines which cautioned against hasty re-opening. After pressure, the CDC released revised guidelines.