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Q&A
Panel responses on data availability and accuracy for NYPD accountability
1:13:53
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Panel members Babe Howell and Samah Sisay respond to Council Member De La Rosa's question about data accuracy and availability for NYPD accountability, highlighting significant issues with current practices.
- Babe Howell explains that the gang database is secret and accessing information is challenging
- Samah Sisay notes that while some data on Terry stops is available, about 30% of stops are not properly documented
- Both panelists emphasize the lack of transparency and difficulties in obtaining accurate, comprehensive data on police encounters
Babe Howell
1:13:53
The short answer is no.
1:13:54
The database is secret.
1:13:56
They do not tell people they're on the gang database.
1:13:59
We, the Legal Aid Society has started a foil yourself campaign, and they normally have to, make the foil request, have it denied, and then sued to follow-up.
1:14:10
So that is a a data piece that we would very much like.
1:14:15
The office of inspector general of the LAPD has analyzed gang unit stops.
1:14:22
They have specific units and found that they are longer and more likely to end up with searches and unconstitutional searches than other stops.
1:14:31
So that's data we're missing, and we really appreciate this city council's efforts with this, How Many STOP Act and the Monitor Report and the OIG's, report in New York to fill some holes, but there are many more holes than certainties.
Samah Sisay
1:14:49
I would just like to state for the record I'm with the Center For Constitutional Rights.
1:14:54
And so for the for the specialized units, neighborhood safety team, the public safety teams, and the community response teams, which I think, are miss misnamed in the ways that they interact with communities.
1:15:06
But, the data is available with regards to Terry stops, so those are, level 3 stops.
1:15:13
And though that data is what the Federal Monitor uses for reports and to do analysis as to whether or not the NYPD is in compliance.
1:15:21
But like I said earlier, the issue with the data is that it's shown that a substantial amount of, the data is actually not available because 30% of stops about 30% of stops are not being reported on or properly documented.
1:15:34
And so part of that problem is that, you know, whether it's officers just not documenting, whether it's officers thinking it's like a level 2 encounter when actually it's a stop that needs to be documented on, you know, we're seeing that there's a huge chunk of the data missing, and then there have been discussions.
1:15:50
I don't think that's what this hearing is about around, like, c c r CCRBs access to body worn camera and other, information when they are doing disciplinary hearings and trying to get information in order to move discipline along.
1:16:02
So I think that's another part of, you know, available data.
1:16:07
Yeah.
1:16:07
Thank you.