Q&A
Discussion on quality of life stops and level 1 police encounters
1:45:43
·
3 min
Council Member Tiffany Cabán questions NYPD officials about quality of life (QOL) stops and level 1 encounters. The discussion covers what behaviors might lead to these encounters and what kinds of violations or crimes officers are looking for.
- NYPD officials explain that level 1 encounters are not stops and are often used to gather information about community concerns.
- There is debate over the connection between level 1 encounters and potential criminal activity.
- Cabán expresses concern about the relationship between these encounters and broken windows policing.
Tiffany Cabán
1:45:43
I wanna start by, talking about the the what the how many stops act, and specifically about that that level one stop that's being reported.
1:45:53
One of the reasons for the encounter that officers can select on the level one form is QOL, which we know to mean quality of life.
1:46:01
Can you explain what that means, and what are examples of behaviors or actions a New Yorker might take that would result in an officer initiating a level one encounter with them?
Michael Gerber
1:46:11
In connection with QOL, you mean, with quality of life?
Tiffany Cabán
1:46:13
No.
1:46:14
In so yes.
1:46:15
So you can select that on the form.
1:46:17
Correct?
Michael Gerber
1:46:17
Yes.
Tiffany Cabán
1:46:17
Okay.
1:46:19
Can you explain what that means when if an officer is selecting QOL on that form, what does that mean?
Jumaane Williams
1:46:26
Right.
1:46:27
So what
Tiffany Cabán
1:46:27
And and then what are, like, what are the examples of the behaviors or actions, that a New Yorker might take that would result in an officer initiating that level 1 Sure.
1:46:37
And filling out the form that way?
Michael Gerber
1:46:38
Sure.
1:46:38
And just to be clear.
1:46:39
Right?
1:46:39
So, you know, it's it's it's it's not a stop.
1:46:41
Right?
1:46:41
I think it's important.
1:46:42
Level 1 encounters by definition.
1:46:43
We we
Tiffany Cabán
1:46:43
know that.
1:46:44
I just I don't have I have limited time.
1:46:46
So I'd like to know what are the behaviors or actions.
Michael Gerber
1:46:48
I mean, you referred to it as a stop.
1:46:50
So but it's not a stop.
1:46:51
And to answer your question, I would say, typically, right, it's a quality of life situation, meaning, let's say there have been 311, 911 calls about a quality of life issue in that neighborhood.
1:47:01
We have a variety of things.
1:47:03
Officers are officers, you know, go to that go to that area.
1:47:07
They're trying to understand what's going on.
1:47:09
They see people who might be witnesses, who might have information about that quality of life matter, and they have a level 1 encounter.
1:47:16
And they say, hey.
1:47:16
We got reports about x.
1:47:18
Have you seen that?
1:47:18
Have you heard that?
1:47:19
Is that an issue around here?
1:47:20
That that, I think, would be the typical scenario.
Tiffany Cabán
1:47:22
Well, what kinds of violations and crimes are the officers looking for, when they engage in these quality of life related level 1 encounters?
Michael Gerber
1:47:30
It could be really any matter where there's been either an 911 call, 301 calls, community complaints.
Kezilar Cornish
1:47:35
Okay.
Michael Gerber
1:47:36
Because, obviously, there's a there's a range of things.
1:47:37
I do wanna be clear
Tiffany Cabán
1:47:38
But violations and crimes.
1:47:39
Right?
1:47:39
Because we get a lot of 3 one one calls about conditions that don't amount to, the violations of our penal codes.
1:47:46
So what are the kinds of violations and crimes officers are looking for when they
Michael Gerber
1:47:49
But but I so I do wanna be clear.
1:47:51
Right?
1:47:51
The level one encounter here is almost never I don't think really ever gonna be a situation where you think that the person you're talking to engaged in some quality of life offense or violation.
1:48:02
That would be exceedingly rare, almost impossible.
1:48:04
Because, frankly, quality of life violations, you're almost always, frankly, at probable cause.
1:48:10
In the vast majority of situations, you see something, you see something
Tiffany Cabán
1:48:15
happening my question.
Michael Gerber
1:48:16
I'm trying to answer your question.
Tiffany Cabán
1:48:18
No.
1:48:18
It's simply what kinds of violations and crimes are officers looking for when they engage in this?
1:48:21
So you're not
Michael Gerber
1:48:22
answering It could be anything.
1:48:23
It could be
Tanesha Grant
1:48:24
Okay.
Michael Gerber
1:48:25
Hey.
1:48:25
You know, we have a a graffiti issue here in the area.
1:48:28
Hey.
1:48:28
You know, there's there's been, a question
Vickie Paladino
1:48:30
about drag queens.
Tiffany Cabán
1:48:31
Anything is your answer.
1:48:32
So it could be anything
Michael Gerber
1:48:33
It could be anything that that comes
Tiffany Cabán
1:48:35
in initiates a level one encounter.
Michael Gerber
1:48:37
Something that comes in as a quality of life concern, 911, 301.
1:48:41
Those those are, as you know, often violations, acute misdemeanors.
Tiffany Cabán
1:48:45
Thank you.
1:48:45
Noted.
1:48:45
So as of course, you know, the NYPD has been asserting this whole time that level 1 encounters don't involve suspicion of criminal activity and therefore don't need to be reported.
1:48:54
So there's some inconsistencies here, but certainly interested in seeing the connection between these level 1 encounters and, broken windows policing.
1:49:03
Okay.
1:49:05
I am going to move on.
1:49:07
I have a few questions regarding NYCHA housing.
