Now is Not the Time to “Moderate” on the Police

Prominent mayoral candidates are distancing themselves from “defund” and instead offering “cops and more” public safety plans. But that approach neglects the victims of police brutality and risks further entrenching police legitimacy and power.
— Read on www.currentaffairs.org/news/now-is-not-the-time-to-moderate-on-the-police

Rethinking the role of race in crime and police violence | Brookings

In a nation grappling with a seemingly endless cycle of violent crime and police shootings, the public narrative often perpetuates a simplistic assumption: These issues are exclusively Black experiences. However, a closer examination of the data reveals a far more complex picture that challenges this oversimplified notion. In 2023, data on police shootings revealed a complex picture, with approximately 40% of civilians shot being white, 20% Black, 13% Hispanic, and three percent of other races; notably, the race/ethnicity of a significant portion—24%—of those shot by police in the same year was not reported, highlighting ongoing challenges in transparency and data collection surrounding these critical incidents.
— Read on www.brookings.edu/articles/rethinking-the-role-of-race-in-crime-and-police-violence/

Zohran Mamdani wants to strip power from NYPD commissioner — revoking final say on officer discipline

The proud DSA member told reporters Tuesday that he wants an emboldened and effective Civilian Complaint Review Board that out-ranks the city’s top cop when it comes to serious disiciplinary matters.
— Read on nypost.com/2025/10/01/us-news/zohran-mamdani-wants-to-strip-power-from-nypd-commissioner-revoking-final-say-on-officer-discipline/

See the report on the death of Allan Feliz by the NY AG office HERE

Crime Victims Can Help Point the Way Forward | Vital City

New Yorkers have access to mountains of statistics, updated weekly, about crimes committed in New York City and what happens to the people accused of committing them. Policymakers and the general public, however, lack the data necessary to track what happens to crime victims. It’s time that changed. 

An important national statistic mostly unknown outside criminal justice circles is that more than half of all crimes are not reported to the police. This critical finding has been consistent since 1973, when the federal government first launched the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). This household survey asks whether individuals were victims of crime and if so, whether they reported the crime to the police. It also asks what support victims received following their victimization, whether they accessed victim services and, for those who did not report the crime, why they chose not to. 

Read the full article HERE