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Q&A
Overview of the Protest Settlement Unit's structure and responsibilities
0:41:00
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Commissioner Strauber provides details on the newly established Protest Settlement Unit, its staffing, and its role in overseeing NYPD's compliance with a settlement related to protest policing.
- The unit is fully staffed with five people, including an inspector general, two attorneys, and two investigators
- It will monitor NYPD's compliance with policy and procedural changes for policing protests
- The unit will review two selected protests every six months for a three-year period
Gale Brewer
0:41:00
Okay.
0:41:00
And I know you also have the protest settlement unit.
0:41:04
At least you could talk a little bit about what the unit is doing.
0:41:08
I believe those folks have been filled, those positions.
0:41:12
Ironically, there's a protest every day.
0:41:14
So I will be interested to see what recommendations come out of it.
0:41:20
But can you just talk a little bit about that unit?
Jocelyn E. Strauber
0:41:22
Yeah.
0:41:22
So the the unit is is now fully staffed with five people, all of whom not only have been hired but are but are working as of this week at DOI.
0:41:31
Their role is is actually unique in the work that that we do.
0:41:35
That unit was created to manage oversight of the NYPD's compliance with a particular settlement of litigation arising out of the George Floyd protests.
0:41:45
And as part of the settlement of that litigation, the department agreed to implement policy and procedural changes to how they police protests.
0:41:54
And the plaintiffs were interested, you know, in having a body that could monitor the NYPD's compliance.
0:42:01
Now as as you're aware, and I know we've talked about this before, outside monitors can be very expensive for the city.
0:42:08
The city saw using DOI as the monitor, as a way to save some money.
0:42:13
We're we're very comfortable with playing that role, but to do so, we needed additional headcount because given all of our other responsibilities and obligations, it was not something we could take on without designated additional staff.
0:42:28
And so we asked for and received five additional staff and have created essentially a small unit with an inspector general, two attorneys who will serve as special counsels, and two investigators to do that work.
0:42:42
And once the department finalizes policies and training, which they're in the process of doing, that work will actually begin and it will involve every six months for a three year period, a selection by a collaborative committee of two protests that the unit will be responsible for reviewing and looking at the department's response to the protests and evaluating whether the response complies with the new policies and procedures.