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Review of Akron Police – Department’s Use-of-Force Policies and Practices

Overview

Since 2019, Akron Police Department (APD) officers have been involved in seven fatal 1 and seven nonfatal 2 shootings. In response to these incidents, the City of Akron issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking an independent review of APD’s use of force (UOF) policies and procedures. After a competitive selection process, the City awarded the contract to the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).

Get a PDF copy of the report HERE

Minneapolis Police Reform. 3-part series | Twin Cities PBS – Watch Now

Ep 1: Early History of the MPD and Reform

Premiered October 21, 2025
Since it’s beginning in the late 19th century, what the Minneapolis Police Department would look like has always been up for debate. Dr. Williams explores that early history and its implications.
— Read on tpt.org/paradox-echoes-of-reform-the-minneapolis-police

Bronx man shot by police sues city and NYPD, seeks damages and reforms – Gothamist

Raul de la Cruz, who was shot by police responding to a 311 call in 2023, is suing the city and NYPD. His lawyers are hopeful the Mamdani administration would be sympathetic to his case.
— Read on gothamist.com/news/bronx-man-shot-by-police-sues-city-and-nypd-seeks-damages-and-reforms

Final Report of the Illinois Accountability Commission

This report is the State of Illinois investigation into the activities of Federal I.C.E. agents

Article Summary

  • The Illinois Accountability Commission voted to approve its final report on Thursday, creating a record of misconduct by federal immigration agents amid Operation Midway Blitz.
  • The 204-page report provides recommendations for accountability and policies to prevent harm in the future.
  • The commission is also sending letters to relevant local law enforcement agencies where they believe there is reason to believe agents may have violated policy or broken the law.

See more of the Article HERE

As outlined in Executive Order 2025-06, the Illinois Accountability Commission(IAC) investigated the conduct of federal agents during Operation Midway Blitz, examined the impact on individuals, offered policy recommendations to prevent future harm in Illinois, and created a public record.

Follow the links HERE to explore the Commission’s Final Report and its accompanying documents

Get a .PDF copy of the Final Report HERE

Borough Contrast: Prosecution and Court Outcomes Across New York City, 2021-2024

“Borough Contrast: Prosecution and Court Outcomes Across New York City, 2021-2024,” analyzes how criminal legal outcomes vary across the five boroughs during the post-pandemic period (pp. 1, 4).

Below are the key highlights and trends identified in the study:

1. Sharp Rise in Low-Level Arrests

Citywide arrests surged by 62% from 2021 to 2024 (pp. 9, 14). This was driven largely by low-level offenses:

  • Fare Evasion: Increased more than elevenfold (900 to 10,125 arrests) (p. 4).
  • Other Charges: Drug, trespass, and petit larceny arrests all approximately doubled citywide (pp. 4, 13).
  • Borough Leaders: Brooklyn saw the largest increase in misdemeanor (+88%) and nonviolent felony (+73%) arrests, while the Bronx saw the highest spike in violent felony arrests (+49%) (pp. 4, 13).

2. Disparate Prosecution Decisions

Whether a case is prosecuted depends heavily on the borough (pp. 6, 23):

  • The Bronx: Consistently held the highest “declination” rate (refusal to prosecute), declining 40% of misdemeanors and 25% of violent felonies in 2024 (pp. 5, 22-23).
  • Manhattan: Saw a massive shift under DA Alvin Bragg, with misdemeanor declinations rising from 6% in 2021 to 31% in 2024 (pp. 5, 22).
  • Other Boroughs: Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island declined significantly fewer cases, with Queens declining only 6% of misdemeanors in 2024 (pp. 5, 22).

3. Pretrial Release & Bail

The study found significant differences in how judges handle cases at arraignment (pp. 6, 31):

  • Bail Setting: Queens and Manhattan had the highest bail-setting rates for felonies (pp. 6, 31). In 2024, Manhattan judges set bail/remand in 53% of violent felony cases (p. 31).
  • Ability to Pay: By 2024, bail payment rates at arraignment were exceptionally low (4–6% for misdemeanors), meaning a bail order almost always resulted in immediate incarceration (pp. 6, 36).
  • Supervised Release: Judges citywide increasingly relied on supervised release over “Release on Recognizance” (ROR) for misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies (p. 33).

4. Convictions and Sentencing

  • Conviction Rates: Criminal convictions remain rare for misdemeanors (only 5% citywide in 2024) (pp. 7, 38). However, for indicted felonies, conviction rates were high, reaching 95% for violent felonies in Staten Island (pp. 7, 39).
  • Prison Sentences: There was wide variability in prison time for felonies. In 2024, 34% of convicted felony cases in Manhattan resulted in state prison sentences, compared to only 12% in Queens (pp. 7, 42).
  • Demographic Disparity: Even after controlling for charge and history, Black and Hispanic individuals were significantly more likely than white individuals to be sentenced to prison (p. 43).

Access the article webpage HERE

Ger a .PDF copy of the article HERE

Traffic Tickets Issued in New York State

Traffic Tickets Issued: Four Year Window

Data extracted from records of tickets on file with NYS DMV. The tickets were issued to motorists for violations of: NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law (VTL), Thruway Rules and Regulations, Tax Law, Transportation Law, Parks and Recreation Regulations, Local New York City Traffic Ordinances, and NYS Penal Law pertaining to the involvement of a motor vehicle in acts of assault, homicide, manslaughter and criminal negligence resulting in injury or death.

Read more HERE

This is the direct link to the data HERE

Safe Roads for All – Evidence-Based Strategies for Keeping Our Roadways Safe

Each year, more than 40,000 people are killed and more than 2 million injured in preventable car crashes. Despite a growing body of evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of common-sense infrastructural and road design measures, traffic safety strategies in this country have largely focused instead on individual enforcement through high-volume police stops and ticketing. The report finds that this approach fails to prevent injuries and deaths from car crashes and in fact puts people at risk of harmful encounters with police. Ticketing practices that prioritize revenue generation over road safety also trap millions of people in inescapable cycles of fines, fees, and debt.  

See more here: https://www.aclu.org/documents/safe-roads-for-all

Get a .PDF of the report HERE