By Colin Campbell 4/30 2:59pm

War of Words

Mayor Bloomberg. (Photo: Getty)

The New York Times Slams Bloomberg’s Charges of Racial Bias

Earlier today, Mayor Michael Bloomberg harshly criticized the media, specifically The New York Times, for giving insufficient coverage to murder victims of color while editorializing against NYPD policies like stop-and-frisk.

“Four days after Alphonza Bryant’s murder went unreported by The Times, the paper published another editorial attacking stop-question-and-frisk,” Mr. Bloomberg said, referencing a recent slaying in the Bronx and claiming a white victim would have received more attention. “They called it a ‘widely loathed’ practice. … Let me tell you what I loathe. I loathe that 17-year-old minority children can be senselessly murdered in the Bronx and some of the media doesn’t even consider it news.”

Well, it seems The Times can push back. Read More

By Colin Campbell 7/12/12 2:38pm

frisky business

(Photo: NY1)

Jumaane Williams: There’s A ‘Nugget of Truth’ in Ray Kelly’s Pol Criticism

“I’m talking about political leadership, they’re not out there talking about the problem,” NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said on Inside City Hall last night, defending his department’s use of the controversial stop-and-frisk policy. “They’re not out there talking about, ‘Hey, we have a lot of young men of color shooting each other.’ You don’t hear that spoken about openly. You do hear unhappiness with the tactics and strategies that we use.”

The host, Errol Louis, interjected to argue that elected officials do indeed talk about violence, and not just problems with the NYPD, causing Mr. Kelly to retort, “Well, you’re not reporting it. They do report it when they criticize the police though, certainly on New York 1.” Read More

By Hunter Walker 6/18/12 9:00am

frisky business

Reverend Al Sharpton at the march to end stop and frisk.

Political Opponents Of Stop And Frisk Explain Why And How They Want The Policy To End

Among the thousands who turned out to march down Fifth Avenue in protest of the NYPD’s stop and frisk policy Sunday were several prominent political opponents of the practice, which saw police stop over 685,000 people, the vast majority of whom were people of color, while collecting 780 guns. Likely candidates in next year’s mayoral election have focused on reforming some elements of the controversial policy, but many of the leaders who participated in the march explained to The Politicker that they want stop and frisk ended entirely.

“I don’t know how you can keep it and take the quotas and the profiling out of it and, therefore, I think they need an entirely new program. I don’t know how you mend something based on quotas and race,” said Reverend Al Sharpton, one of the organizers of the march. Read More

By Margaret Nickens 6/18/12 8:35am

frisky business

The protestor who identified herself as Christina Gonzales was handcuffed and carried to a police van.

Thousands Gather To Protest NYPD’s Stop-and-Frisk Policy

After two hours of marching, the crowd was tired of being quiet. Beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday, the diverse group of activists silently trudged nearly 30 blocks down 5th avenue, solemnly protesting the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk policy. Nearly 40,000 people came to the protest in solidarity with Trayvon Martin, Sean Bell and other victims of allegedly racist policing practices, according to Derek Turner, a NAACP spokesperson.

Around 5 p.m., the protestors reached 79th street, the planned ending place for the march due to its proximity to Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s home. Pin-adorned, sign-touting demonstrators began to restlessly pack into the street and sidewalks surrounding the area. No longer pleased with the stubborn quietness of the event, a few anxious protestors began to chant; they were barely audible in such a large crowd. Eventually, two men took over with the assistance of the microphone yelling, “We can’t be silent. We’ve got to fight back. The killer cuffs us. We’ve got to fight back.” Read More

By Hunter Walker 6/08/12 9:24am

Rewriting History

NYPD-Chief-Ray-Kelly-Hold-007

NYPD Spokesman Says Stories Of Reporters Arrested At Occupy Raid Were ‘A Total Myth’ [Update]

NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly and his top spokesman, Paul Browne, gave a lengthy, exclusive interview to the Queens Chronicle in which they discussed one of the biggest controversies surrounding the Department in recent months–the arrests of journalists during last November’s raid on the Occupy Wall Street encampment in Zuccotti Park. Mr. Browne apparently denied reports of journalists arrested at Zuccotti Park and attributed them to protesters using fake press credentials.

“Paul Browne, the deputy commissioner for public information, who accompanied Kelly to the interview, added that only one journalist was arrested during the operation, despite stories to the contrary, which he called ‘a total myth,’” wrote Chronicle Editor in Chief Peter C. Mastrosimone. “Occupy Wall Street protesters were forging press credentials in an effort to get through the police lines, he added, but that doesn’t mean actual reporters were arrested.” Read More

By Hunter Walker 6/07/12 4:04pm

frisky business

NYPD

Eric Holder Discussing Plans For NYPD Stop And Frisk Investigation

A delegation of elected officials from New York is currently in Washington D.C. to express their concerns about the NYPD’s controversial stop and frisk policy and ask the Department of Justice to investigate the program as a civil rights violation.

Multiple sources have confirmed to The Politicker that Attorney General Eric Holder met with leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus yesterday to discuss the issue. A source on Capitol Hill also told us that, at that meeting, Mr. Holder expressed his interest in investigating stop and frisk. Read More

By Hunter Walker 6/07/12 1:01pm

frisky business

Members of the stop and frisk delegation including State Senator Adriano Espaillat, Councilwoman Mellissa Mark-Viverito and Assemblyman Karim Camara meeting with officials in Washington.

New York Politicians Take D.C. Road Trip To Push For Stop And Frisk Investigation

A number of New York City and State elected officials are in Washington D.C. this afternoon to address their concerns about the NYPD’s controversial stop and frisk policy. They are calling on the Department of Justice to investigate the NYPD’s use of stop and frisk as a civil rights violation.  The NYPD stopped a record number of people last year, the vast majority of whom were minorities.

“New Yorkers are fed up with this policy that continually targets our communities,” Assemblyman Karim Camara, Chairman of the New York State Black Puerto Rican Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus said in a statement. “The numbers tell a tragic story. One recent report said that more young black men were stopped than actually lived in the city.  We cannot get away from the fact that there is implicit racial bias in this tactic used by the NYPD.  Since City officials refuse to listen, we are taking our cause to Washington.  It’s time for some high-powered back up to advocate for the civil rights of New Yorkers.” Read More

By David Freedlander 5/30/12 4:57am

Police Procedures

NY Mayor Bloomberg Holds Press Conference On Foiled Terror Case

Frisky Business: Once Again, Police Practices Matter In Politics

One afternoon earlier this month, Bill de Blasio, the city’s public advocate and a potential mayoral candidate, held a press conference on the steps of City Hall to unveil a new report and suggest a modest reform. The New York Police Department has seen the number of people it has stopped and frisked skyrocket, often without yielding any evidence of a crime. Mr. de Blasio suggested the agency simply record the number and location of their stops, just as they record murder, thefts and rapes under CompStat, the computerized police accountability system that is credited with keeping the city’s plunging crime rate low.

A few hours later, Howard Wolfson, Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s deputy mayor for communications and an old pal of Mr. de Blasio’s from their days on the Hillary Clinton Senate campaign, sent out a blistering response. Read More

By Colin Campbell 5/09/12 4:24pm

frisky business

(Photo: Getty)

John Liu Calls for Stop-and-Frisk’s Abolishment as Mayor’s Office and Bill de Blasio Spar

As the news cycle spirals around President Barack Obama coming out in support of gay marriage, news surrounding stop-and-frisk politics has also come cascading down after Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, a potential candidate for mayor in 2013, upped his criticism this afternoon. Notably, Comptroller John Liu, also a likely mayoral candidate, has gone one step beyond his rivals, who have argued that some stop-and-frisk tactics should remain as a police tool, and called for the policy to end completely.

“While it is true that stop-and-frisk has gotten some guns and criminals off the streets, it’s also true that stop-and-frisk continues to deepen the chasm between communities and police, relationship that is vital to maintaining a safe and secure city for all New Yorkers,” Mr. Liu said in a statement today. “Stop and frisk should be abolished.” Read More