The Criminal Justice & Police Reform Plan.

Policing in New York City is broken. Period.
And a renaissance for all New Yorkers will require rethinking and reimagining what good, quality policing and a fair and equitable justice system look like, beginning with giving the residents of New York a greater role in determining how we move forward. We will prioritize accountability for and oversight of law enforcement, aiming to build trusted relationships with officers and ensure that nobody is above the law. We will actively work to repair harm done by long-standing systemic injustices in these systems, including the criminalization of poverty, unconscionable conditions in our jails, and the failed “war on drugs.” And we will forcefully advocate for the redirection of police funding into services for education, social work, and mental health so that we may better and more holistically serve all New Yorkers.

Accountability and Oversight in Policing

 

Build Relationships and Trust with Present, Visible, and Responsive Policing

Good, effective policing depends entirely on trust—residents who know and trust law enforcement, and law enforcement that knows and trusts the community it is sworn to serve and protect. We’ll work to prioritize community policing by building collaborative, community partnerships with law enforcement. We want an organizational transformation of law enforcement from the top throughout police ranks, to create a present, visible, and responsive police to proactively address immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues. We’ll continually work to examine what’s working in the neighborhood and what’s not, and whether our existing neighborhood policing programs are moving us towards the trust we sorely need to establish. 

Negotiate Accountability into NYPD Collectively Bargained Agreements

We’ll work to make sure the City’s contracts with the NYPD are negotiated to ensure that there is real, transparent accountability for the police. Due process is important, but nobody is above the law.

Create an Elected and Empowered Civilian Complaint Review Board

We need to rethink the structuring of the CCRB to ensure that it’s not only representative of the will of New Yorkers, but that its decisions and findings have both credibility and authority. We’ll work to create a Board elected by the people of New York, that serves the people of New York, and has the authority to impose discipline. 

End Qualified Immunity

In March 2021, the City Council ended qualified immunity. The next City Council must work to ensure the new law creates a culture of accountability that’s essential to quality policing.

Reform Appointment of Police Commissioner 

We’ll work to amend the City’s Charter to create a confirmation process for the Police Commissioner, requiring advice and consent of the City Council.

Criminal Justice Reform

 

Close Rikers Island

Rikers Island is crumbling and built on toxic land. We will reaffirm the City’s commitment to close Rikers Island and transform it into a green energy hub. By pushing to build new, modern jails with reduced capacity, we can ensure humane and sanitary conditions and allow easier access for family visitation and legal counsel.

Work Towards Bail Reform

Cash bail criminalizes poverty. It perpetuates inequality in disadvantaged communities, increases likelihood of rearrest, and only serves to prolong the cycles of poverty and incarceration. It doesn’t work, and we’ll work to eliminate it permanently.

Ensure that Tax Revenue from Marijuana Sales Go to Restore Communities

The New York State bill legalizing marijuana establishes that 40% of tax revenues will go to reinvesting in communities harmed by the War on Drugs, 40% will go to schools and public education, and 20% towards drug treatment, prevention, and education. We must now work to ensure the equitable distribution of these funds. 

Implement Targeted Education Programs for the Formerly Incarcerated

We’ll work to develop a community college reentry program for formerly incarcerated New Yorkers. We can target communities hit hardest by incarceration for educational outreach, and give the formerly incarcerated a better chance upon reentry to the workforce and society.

Redefine How We Keep New Yorkers Safe

 

Invest in Mental Health Experts and Social Workers

In coordination with the Departments of Health & Mental Hygiene, Homeless Services, and the FDNY, we’ll work to alleviate the burden on police by investing in crisis response teams, including mental health experts and social workers, who are best equipped to respond to homeless outreach and mental health calls. Sometimes, these calls can be dangerous. These professionals should be partnered with police as necessary. We’ll work to ensure the expansion of the pilot program for FDNY Mental Health Teams for mental health response calls throughout the City.

Empower Schools Principals to Determine School Safety

School principals know the safety needs of their schools better than anyone. We’ll work to empower principals to determine the role of school safety agents and metal detectors. We’ll work towards a long-term ban on biometric surveillance systems in schools. And we will demand the NYPD turn over data collected from school metal detectors to ensure transparency and oversight of school safety programs. 

Reinvest in Communities

Money saved from reduced incarceration should be redirected to address poverty and improve local health, education, and employment opportunities. Budgets are moral documents, and we’ll always work to prioritize funding for schools and health programs in communities hit hardest by incarceration.