MAYOR DE BLASIO RELEASES MAJOR POLICE DISCIPLINE REFORMS

 

 

NYPD Discipline Matrix Part of Plan to Fulfill Obama Foundation Reimagining Policing Pledge

 Mayor Bill de Blasio today released the first NYPD Discipline Matrix, a major police discipline reform.

 

“For years, we have achieved major police department reforms and today’s announcement is just the start for the progress we will make together as a city in 2021,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “With this new cutting-edge reform, the Police Department now has clear, fair and just discipline guidelines. This is about accountability, building trust and ensuring community engagement is centered in our approach.”

 

“This matrix, almost two years in the making, establishes clear and consistent presumptive penalties for specific offenses and eliminates the perception of favoritism or bias that can undermine our discipline process, as well as the department’s legitimacy in the eyes of the people we are sworn to serve and protect.  Moreover, the matrix reflects my commitment that every member of the service is held accountable for his or her conduct based upon reasonable standards. The matrix is meant to be a living document, open to further improvements as the needs of the police and the public naturally evolve,” said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea.

 

"We appreciate this promising step the NYPD has taken to outline clearer rules of the road for their uniformed members of service,” said CCRB Chair Fred Davie. “The Board looks forward to reviewing the Department’s proposal, and engaging further with the public on the disciplinary matrix."

 

The matrix outlines presumptive penalties for instances of officer misconduct, which may be adjusted up or down in a set window based on aggravating and mitigating factors. Penalties escalate with repeated offenses. The reforms aim to increase fairness in the disciplinary system, and increase trust in the system among both members of the NYPD and the public, by improving:

• Accountability with penalties that are fair and proportional to the misconduct.
• Transparency, so that both members of service and the community know what discipline to expect when an officer breaks the rules.
• Consistency, so similar actions are treated similarly, and there is greater concurrence between the CCRB recommendations and NYPD decisions on penalties.

 

The discipline reforms are part of Mayor de Blasio’s plan to fulfill the Obama Foundation Reimagining Policing Pledge. The pledge, in partnership with the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, calls for Mayors to review, engage, report and reform. That multi-step process allowed the City to bring true community input into the formation of the discipline guidelines.

 

On August 30, 2020, NYPD released the draft disciplinary matrix for public comment. Feedback and input were solicited from the Department’s oversight organizations, as well as community and advocacy organizations. Over 400 comments were received and resulted in changes to strengthen and better adapt the guidelines to better reflect New Yorkers’ experiences.

 

The discipline guidelines are clear and simple to interpret for officers and community members alike. For example: 

· Use of excessive deadly force has a presumed penalty of termination.

· Racial profiling has presumed penalty of termination.

· Intentionally making a false official statement has a presumed penalty of termination.

· Insubordination has presumed penalty of 20 unpaid days.

· Recklessly operating a vehicle has presumed penalty of 20 unpaid days.

· Failure to report a lost firearm has presumed penalty of 10 unpaid days.

 

Any penalty could increase if there are aggravating factors like time allowing for deliberate reflection before the action, or if its motivated by personal interest.

 

All presumptive penalties can be viewed in the final Disciplinary System Penalty Guidelines here.

HUNTS POINT PRODUCE MARKET WORKERS’ UNION SCHEDULES STRIKE FOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 17TH, AS NEGOTIATIONS ON NEW CONTRACT BREAK DOWN

 

1,400 MEMBERS OF TEAMSTERS LOCAL 202 HAVE KEPT NEW YORK FED THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AS EMPLOYERS CASHED MORE THAN $15 MILLION IN FORGIVABLE PPP LOANS

 The unionized workers at the Hunts Point Produce Market are scheduled to go on strike on Sunday, January 17th, at 12:01 am after negotiations broke down when management refused to budge from a stingy offer for workers who kept New Yorkers fed through the pandemic. Union members are taking a strike vote on Saturday and scheduled to walk picket lines starting Sunday.

The majority of the workers have an average base salary between $18 and $21 an hour. Employers in the market, who collectively bill billions of dollars in annual sales, received more than $15 million in forgivable PPP loans during the pandemic.

Leaders of Teamsters Local 202 will hold a press conference on Sunday, January 17th, at 11 am, outside the main entrance to the market at 772 Edgewater Road in the Bronx. Elected officials are expected to join the Hunts Point union leaders at the press conference. 

 

Question of wrongdoing at the DSA

 

This came to us from the attention of Assemblyman Jose Rivera and Theo Chino

Is there something rotten in the DSA?

DSA backed candidates need to answer this charge of alleged fraud.

Council Member Mathieu Eugene Fined $10,717 for 2017 Campaign Violations

The fine was for nine violations of campaign finance law, including failure to report transactions and making impermissible post-election expenditures from his 2017 campaign. Councilman Eugene when first elected did not move into the district within thirty days so another special election had to be held which he also won. 

Councilman Eugene is running for Brooklyn Borough President, and they say that Bronx politics is bad.

The link to the story from the BKLYNER is below.

https://bklyner.com/council-member-mathieu-eugene-fined-10717-for-2017-campaign-violations/?mc_cid=c34ff43feb&mc_eid=abeb56f41b 

Representative Adriano Espaillat Introduces The Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act of 2021

 

Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat released the following statement on the introduction of his comprehensive legislation to abolish the federal death penalty.

“The death penalty is a cruel relic of the past, and should have no place in our society,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). “A government should not have the power to take the life of another person, and the death penalty is a deeply flawed and inherently unjust system.

“The death penalty is fundamentally racist, and its roots can be traced directly to America’s terrible history of lynching. Over 42 percent of those on death row and 34 percent of those executed in America are Black, but only 13 percent of America’s population is black. Furthermore, those convicted of killing White victims are seventeen times more likely to be sentenced to death than would be if the victim was Black. The racial disparities in the death penalty are beyond the pale, and we must amend this racist legacy of our criminal justice system," Espaillat continued.

“Human life is invaluable, and every human life is sacred. Yet, the death penalty forgets a core tenet of humanity – human beings change. Humans have an immense capacity to learn, to heal, and to grow. Executing someone denies this principle and gives no course for a person to grow. A person is not defined by the worst choice they made, but the death penalty only views someone’s life through this narrow lens. And what’s more, it undermines the core vision upon which this nation was founded. I am proud to introduce this legislation, and believe it is a critical step towards a more righteous, equitable, and just society for all Americans,” he concluded.

The Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act of 2021 has been endorsed by more than 200 organizations nationwide, including:  NAACP, ACLU, Amnesty International USA, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Innocence Project, National Black Justice Coalition, Southern Poverty Law Center, National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, Death Penalty Action, 8th Amendment Project, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Vera Institute of Justice, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Southern Center for Human Rights, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Equal Justice USA, Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty, Grassroots Leadership, Drug Policy Alliance.

MAYOR DE BLASIO: CITY WILL RUN OUT OF VACCINE SUPPLY NEXT WEEK

 

THE CITY OF NEW YORK

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

NEW YORK, NY 10007

Mayor Bill de Blasio today said New York City is on pace to run out of vaccine supply next week and called on the federal government to send additional doses.

 

“We will run out of vaccine next week in New York City,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The supply should go to where there is an infrastructure to get it into people’s arms. We know there is supply in this country not being used.”  

 

As of today, the City has under 186,000 first doses remaining. Two of the City’s largest hospital systems of NYU and Mt. Sinai are no longer booking appointments for the time being and we expect all systems to run out by the end of next week without resupply.

 

The City reported 33,847 doses yesterday and has already administered more than 337,500 doses to New Yorkers, including more than 42,000 second doses. The City has administered 71.3% percent of the 175,000 vaccines it aimed to distribute by the end of this weekend.

Abigail Martin Reports $39,360 Raised In First Filing with the Campaign Finance Board

 

Abigail Martin

City Council Candidate Abigail Martin today announced that she has raised $39,360 from 445 contributors in the first five months of her campaign. 163 of these contributors are District 11 residents, which is more than double the number required by the Campaign Finance Board (CFB) to qualify for its matching funds program.

Martin has raised $20,403 in matchable donations-- just $1,097 short of the $21,500 needed to receive the full match allowed by the CFB. Based on Martin’s fundraising totals thus far, she is already expected to receive at least $163,224 in matching funds before the June 22, 2021 Democratic primary, for which she is a candidate.

“The support this campaign has received is a clear sign that the people of the northwest Bronx want new leadership, and want a true political outsider representing us,” continued Martin. "In the City Council, I will fight for every member of our community, and I will work to rebuild a just and equitable New York that is more affordable for working families and those on fixed incomes.”

The average contribution to Martin’s campaign to date is $67.45, and 72% of her donations have been from people contributing $50 or less.

“I would like to thank my fundraising team and campaign staff for their hard work,” said Martin. “Most of all, I would like to thank each and every person who has joined this effort, including the hundreds of small donors who are helping to grow this grassroots campaign.”

Under the CFB’s matching funds program, all donations from New York City residents between $10 and $175 are eligible to be matched with $8 in public funds for every $1 raised, up to a total of $21,500.

Abigail Martin is a social worker and an adjunct professor at the Columbia University School of Social Work, and a candidate in the Democratic Party Primary on June 22 for City Council in District 11. City Council District 11 includes the Northwest Bronx neighborhoods of Bedford Park, Kingsbridge, Norwood, Riverdale, Van Cortlandt Village, Wakefield, and Woodlawn.

Abigail’s website is Abigail4theBronx.com

Statement From Governor Cuomo on FEMA Relief for New York

 

 "New York was blindsided by COVID-19 in the spring and it was a direct result of the failures and utter incompetence of the federal government under the Trump Administration. Now, as a result of that federal incompetence, New York is facing an unprecedented COVID deficit.

Nearly a year ago, President Trump promised FEMA would reimburse 100 percent of New York's expenses, but, like many of his promises, the President reneged and New Yorkers suffered.

I want to thank my friends President-Elected Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for reaching this agreement, living up to the federal government's previous promise, and proving that government can work."