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Q&A
NYPD's explanation for racial disparities in traffic enforcement
0:42:19
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128 sec
Josh Levin, Director of Legislative Affairs for the NYPD, provides two main explanations for racial disparities in traffic enforcement: an aggregate perspective and an individual perspective. He argues that deployment patterns based on crime data and 911 calls lead to more officers in certain areas, resulting in more enforcement actions.
- Aggregate perspective: More officers in high-crime areas lead to more stops, searches, and arrests
- Individual perspective: Mechanisms exist to address accusations of racial or bias-based policing
- Levin cites body cameras, CCRB complaints, and judicial review as safeguards against improper stops
Josh Levin
0:42:19
So I think there's two major responses to this.
0:42:24
Right?
0:42:24
I think one is in the aggregate and one is like in the individual.
0:42:28
In the aggregate, like like we've mentioned earlier, we are going to target specific corridors where we are seeing three one one and traffic issues.
0:42:39
Those specific corridors run through the city.
0:42:41
So I'll give you an example.
0:42:42
Atlantic Avenue.
0:42:43
It touches the eight four precinct.
0:42:45
It touches the 75 Precinct.
0:42:47
Because the data is telling us this is where certain crimes are happening, we are going to have more officers in those specific areas.
0:42:53
So for example, the 75 has different amount of police officers than the 84 because it has to be responsive to the crime that is happening there.
0:43:02
Okay?
0:43:02
This stuff is objective.
0:43:03
It's like from nine one one calls.
0:43:05
Okay?
0:43:05
That's not us.
0:43:06
Right?
0:43:07
It's the public telling us this.
0:43:08
And so as a result, anytime that you have more police officers in a certain area, as a result, you are going to see more enforcement.
0:43:16
You are going to see more car stops.
0:43:19
You are going to see more searches.
0:43:21
That's a fact.
0:43:22
That's what I would say in the aggregate.
0:43:24
Okay?
0:43:25
In the individual, I just wanna make it very clear that there are mechanisms for if there is any accusation of racial or bias based policing, there are mechanisms by which citizens can and should address that.
0:43:38
You can make a report to CCRB.
0:43:40
The times have changed.
0:43:41
Drivers are filming police officers as the officers are interacting with them.
0:43:45
At the same time, officers have their body worn cameras on.
0:43:48
This stuff is being documented.
0:43:50
There is paperwork.
0:43:52
Officers have body worn camera on.
0:43:54
Not only can a complaint be made to CCRB, but also there are civil issues if an officer makes an improper or illegal stop to be sued.
0:44:05
And whatever criminal case may come from, you're gonna have a judge at a hearing reviewing all the evidence, all the body worn, any cameras, paperwork, the way the person was acting for there to be a determination of did this officer really have that level of suspicion under the de Boer factors.
0:44:20
There are mechanisms in place to view and review these things.
0:44:24
So I think it's a two pronged approach to that type of question.