The New York City Council has passed the How Many Stops Act, requiring police officers to record the race, age, and gender of individuals they approach during investigations, in an effort to improve data collection and prevent unlawful encounters with young people of color. Mayor Eric Adams has expressed objections to certain elements of the law, but it is set to take effect in July, aiming to provide greater transparency in police interactions with the public.
The NYC Council overrides Mayor Adams’ vetoes of the How Many Stops Act, expanding NYPD transparency requirements, and a bill banning the use of solitary confinement in city jails. The overrides, approved in 42-9 votes, mark a fraught period for the mayor and City Council Democrats, who have publicly sparred over the impact of both pieces of legislation. The How Many Stops Act will require NYPD officers to log basic info about every civilian they stop, aiming to address unconstitutional police stops of Black and Brown New Yorkers. Despite the overrides, it remains to be seen whether the mayor's administration will fully comply with the new criminal justice measures.
Former NYPD deputy commissioner Dr. Tracie Keesee and 10 other former law enforcement officials publicly support the How Many Stops Act, a police reporting bill vetoed by Mayor Eric Adams. The bill requires police to report all investigatory stops and provide demographic data, aiming to address the city’s history of unconstitutional stops targeting Black and Latino men. The mayor argues the bill would burden officers and compromise public safety, while sponsors claim it could be easily implemented. The City Council is expected to override the mayor’s veto, intensifying the ongoing battle over police transparency.
Councilman Yusef Salaam's recent traffic stop by the NYPD has sparked debate over the need for the How Many Stops Act, which would require cops to document every investigative encounter with civilians. Salaam's allies claim that he asked the officer why he was being pulled over, but police body camera footage does not capture this interaction. The incident has drawn criticism and support for Salaam, who is also facing backlash from some politicians. The Council is set to override Mayor Adams' veto of the How Many Stops Act, as the debate over police stops and accountability continues.
Mayor Adams vetoed the How Many Stops Act and a bill to prohibit solitary confinement in NYC jails, sparking a clash with the City Council. The Council leaders immediately pledged to override the vetoes, accusing the mayor of misleading the public. The How Many Stops Act aims to increase NYPD transparency, while the solitary confinement bill seeks to limit isolation in jails. The mayor argues the bills would harm public safety, but Council members and advocates dispute his claims and vow to push for the bills' enactment.
The New York City Council has passed the How Many Stops Act, requiring NYPD officers to report low-level encounters with citizens, including instances where officers ask for identification or consent to search. The goal is to gain a better understanding of policing practices in the city. The legislation also mandates the reporting of instances where individuals do not consent to an officer search. The NYPD will be required to post data on these stops quarterly on its website. While the police department and Mayor Eric Adams opposed the bill, citing administrative burdens, supporters argue that it will provide valuable data for informing public safety policy. Racial disparities in police stops persist, with a smaller percentage of white individuals being stopped compared to the stop-and-frisk era under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
