(Kevin P. Coughlin _ Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)
June 12, 2020 By Michael Dorgan
Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a package of police reform bills into law Friday that seeks to improve relations between cops and the general public.
The legislation, which was hurried through the state legislature earlier this week, will make police disciplinary records public, ban cops from using chokeholds on civilians and classifies false race-based 911 calls as hate crimes.
The governor also issued an executive order requiring local governments and the NYPD to modernize police strategies and programs.
The killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis cop last month coupled with a series of recent NYPD beatings at protests prompted officials to make law changes.
Cuomo said that relations between cops and civilians needs to be repaired and that police reform is long overdue.
“There is no trust between the community and the police, that’s what the protests have said,” Cuomo declared at a press briefing.
“And if there is no trust, the relationship doesn’t work and the police can’t effectively police,” he said.
The new laws form part of the governor’s “Say Their Name” reform agenda which he proposed last week.
Cuomo’s signature was the final step needed to repeal 50-A, which for decades had sealed police officers’ personnel records from public viewing. The bill had passed the Assembly and Senate on Tuesday.
Critics have accused the NYPD of using 50-A to hide the disciplinary and misconduct records of its officers from the public. The new law makes disciplinary records available upon Freedom of Information requests.
The governor signed off on legislation that bans cops from using chokeholds on civilians, a method roundly condemned by police reformists in light of the death of Eric Garner in 2014. Garner died after being placed in a chokehold by an NYPD officer in Staten Island. The new law carries a maximum 15 year prison sentence for offenders.
Cuomo also signed an executive order Friday that calls on all police forces throughout the state to come up with new policies and procedures when it comes to the use of force on civilians.
The order gives local governments and police departments until April 1, 2021 to implement new reforms. Should they fail to meet the deadline, they will have their state police funding pulled, he said.
Cuomo also designated State Attorney General Letitia James the power to conduct independent prosecutions for any in-custody civilian deaths.
Longtime civil rights activist Al Sharpton, who accompanied Cuomo at the signings, praised the governor for the latest round of reforms.
“Andrew Cuomo has raised the bar, and I hope every governor in this country will be asked today whether or not they’re going to do what he just did,” Sharpton said.
However, the head of the city’s largest police union slammed Cuomo and claimed the new laws would prevent cops from doing their jobs.
“We will be permanently frozen, stripped of all resources and unable to do the job,” Patrick Lynch, President of the Police Benevolent Association said.
“We don’t want to see our communities suffer, but this is what Governor Cuomo and our elected leaders have chosen.”
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17 Comments
Can you believe this governor having this character Sharpton present for the signing of a bogus bill , pandering and knee jerk. Al got his start way back in 1987 when a young black teenager, Tawana Brawly falsely accused a group of white men of rape.The group included a police officer and a local prosecutor, one of which later committed suicide – due to stress from the case.After a lengthy trial it was proven a hoax, Sharpton and Brawly were sued for slander – defamation. They lost and were ordered by the court to pay about $185,ooo. So far Brawley has paid $3,000 , Sharpton $000000000000000! Getting back to the Gov , when his dad Mario ran against Ed Kch in1977 – a race that turned very ugly when posters appeared all over NY that read “VOTE FOR CUOMO NOT THE HOMO” a dig at Ed Koch who was gay.This slogan was the brainchild of our present Gov.Andrew Cuomo who was involved in his fathers campaign.Koch beat Mario in a landslide with 70% of the votes. Now getting back to this signing , after he gave Al the pen he turned to present a pen to one the unmasked black ladies behind his and said ” here’s one for you Mama ” what a gavone.
Can I not pay my taxes like Sharpton did and not go to jail. I demand a refund for all taxes I paid to NY NOW!
He cost the American taxpayer MILLIONS in taxes. Now you’re criticizing him? Wonder why he’s afraid to release his tax returns.
Were Al Sharpton’s taxes ever mentioned in this article? No? Oh…ok
Was Trump even mentioned in this article? NY administration supports criminals and waists money on failed programs like Thrive NYC. They haven’t done anything to make the life of the average law abiding citizen better. But nuance it’s too difficult to understand for extremists and Biden supporters.
“Don’t make me down there,” Gov. Cuomo tweeted in response to a video of people crowding a New York City street to socialize and drink. His tweet is laughable and an insult to everyone that listens and does their part to follow social distancing guidelines. He knows that cops are finding it harder to police, patrol, or enforce just about anything and are here now to respond to 911 calls and file police reports. Someone should just come up with an app so citizens can report crimes and burglaries that go directly to your local precinct. These reforms should of took place 5 years ago when Eric Garner was killed.
Isn’t it funny how the NY legislature can pass these bills so easily at the drop of a hat? But then keep claiming that they have “run out of time” when it comes to marijuana legalization?
HEY CUOMO – TAKE YOUR ITALIAN GLORIFYING SLAVE TRAFFICKER COLUMBUS STATUES DOWN!!!!!
You have a problem with Columbus and other great Italians ? Cuomo is not one of them for sure and Mrs deblasio hates mother Cabrini
Columbus did not invent slavery
Good for Como. He knows that anarchy and total riot destruction might be just around the corner. He needs to get control of NY. Now he needs to open NYC faster. People are either out protesting or hanging out outside drinking and partying on the streets. No cops in sight. I am sure they will play with the numbers and get people back to work and off the streets ASAP.
Who is playing with the numbers? Per Cuomo on Sunday, June 14, NYC and the Hamptons are the two areas where the drinking and congregating outside of bars and restaurants without masks have received the most complaints statewide. He’s calling on the local governments to deal with this, or those establishments run the risk of losing their liquor license.
It’s not over by a long shot. We need single payer healthcare, free public universities, debt forgiveness, and a federal jobs training program!!!
right, Chloe? How are you paying for all that? You have no idea what you’re saying. This was done all over the world already and it doesn’t work. You have no respect for this Great Country!
How does sharpton have any credibility at this point??
Isnt there another, BETTER rep for african americans?
this is like using bill clinton in the metoo campaign.
I see al sharpton the racial arsonist standing there
Note
No masks no social distancing
The lock down was a hoax on the public
Look how low New York has fallen
Cuomolini not wearing a mask or practicing social distancing
The rev al sharpton rzcial arsonist and Tawana Brawley liar is there
This is how low New Yorkers have fallen
Cuomo: ‘You don’t need to protest — you won’
@javier: And the residents of NY nursing homes LOST.