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QUESTION
Is the NYPD Willing to Publish Its Policies and Procedures Online?
1:36:57
ยท
122 sec
Council Member Youssef Salaam inquires whether the NYPD is willing to publish its policies, procedures, and quality management systems online, similar to Department of Justice crime laboratories. The inquiry stems from the practice of sharing standard operating procedures with district attorneys' offices as part of discovery. The response highlights the NYPD's current practices, including accreditation and oversight by relevant bodies, and expresses openness to considering the online publication of these documents to enhance accessibility and transparency.
Yusef Salaam
1:36:57
You know, they recommended that we that the DOJ labs post their policies, procedures, and other and all 3 Department of Justice Crime Laboratories, the DEA, the ATF, the FBI, have subsequently published their quality management systems.
1:37:12
Online.
1:37:13
And I was wondering if the NYPD is willing to do so.
Neil Fenton
1:37:20
Well, we already turned over our SOPs, our standard operating procedures, our quality management procedures We turn that over to the district attorney's offices.
1:37:31
It's part of discovery.
1:37:32
So if I I needed to find that information on a case or anything like that, the actual procedures, they can get it.
1:37:38
We turn that over as part of discovery.
1:37:40
It's readily available.
1:37:43
Similarly, with respect to reviews of our forensic evidence.
1:37:49
We are accredited labs.
1:37:52
Our labs are on NYPD lab is an accredited lab.
1:37:55
We work with in hand in hand with ANAB, our accrediting body that certifies our our main lab as well as our leading print section, as well as our crime scene unit.
1:38:06
We are credited.
1:38:07
We report to the New York State forensic commission.
1:38:10
They review our work.
1:38:12
So and that's public record.
1:38:14
So any and if there was a criticism of a science such as Layton Prince or for that matter, any other procedure that NYPD uses.
1:38:21
It gets reviewed and, you know, parts and parcel are their standard operating procedures they're they're they're readily available pursuant to discovery.
Yusef Salaam
1:38:32
Well, the reason why I'm asking that specifically is I know that we spoke earlier in her testimony that it's actually turned over, but I'm thinking about the difference between that and actually being like having that published online itself.
Neil Fenton
1:38:46
I definitely think that's something we can take into consideration and and possibly recommend it and and consider that we're able to do that in terms of technology, then, you know, it's something we'll definitely consider.