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**PolicePractices and Civil Rights in New York City**

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**Chapter3**

**Police-CommunityRelations**

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During the1990s, the New York City Police Department began a �community policing�approach to crime fighting. Some major cities in which community policing andother community relations strategies have been used report increased publicconfidence in police, a reduction in crime, and the easing of racial tensions.[1]The goal of community policing is for community residents and police to worktogether, cooperatively addressing crime in the neighborhood.[2]Through effective police-community relations, community members learnabout policing and how to prevent crime, and a police department can learn aboutneighborhood members and their policing needs. Community policing allows apolice department and neighborhood residents to come together to combat crime.The lack of a community policing effort can doom the relations between thepolice and the community that it is designed to protect. As the NYPD hasrecognized,

> 
whatever    gains we have achieved in fighting crime are minimized if the price is the    trust and respect of the community we serve. If crime levels decline, but    members of the community are reluctant to approach police for fear of a    negative encounter, then we have not truly met our obligations to the    public.[3]

PoliceCommissioner Howard Safir testified at the New York hearing that it is criticalfor the NYPD to do more community outreach because �[i]t is important to theperson in the community that he or she perceives that she is safe from thepolice as well as from criminals. And the reality is people in this city . . .have very little to fear from the police. But if they perceive [otherwise], . .. it�s a real problem for us.�[4]

According toMayor Rudolph Giuliani, there must be a balance between community orneighborhood policing and specialized units that investigate specific areas suchas narcotics or homicide. These particular areas would not be investigatedsuccessfully through community policing.[5]New York Police Commissioner Safir agrees with the mayor that community policingwill not solve homicides, and therefore it is necessary to �balance communitypolicing and crime reduction.�[6]

In histestimony, Police Commissioner Safir said that �when you look at thestatistics . . . [citizens of New York] have very little to fear from thepolice.�[7]Mayor Giuliani also painted a picture of a city with crime decreasing at arecord rate and general community harmony with the NYPD. He added, however, thatwhile the city has spent millions of dollars �training police officers . . .into acting respectful towards people,�[8]civilians must play an �equally important�[9]role in maintaining positive and respectful police-community relations:

> 
This cityneeds improvement in terms of the people of the city being more respectful topolice in the way in which they act toward the police. When police officers sitat home and they see signs describing them as animals, Nazis, as equating themto the KKK, as a group . . . it deteriorates the ability to get them to berespectful . . . on a human level. It does tremendous damage to them justthinking as a human being, right? And it�s the same form of prejudice as theother prejudices that you�re dealing with. It�s assignment of group blame.[10]

On August19, 1997, 10 days after Haitian immigrant Abner Louima was assaulted andsodomized by officers inside Brooklyn�s 70th Police Precinct,[11]Mayor Giuliani created the Task Force on Police/Community Relations. The goalwas to foster better communication and understanding among members of the policedepartment and residents of the City of New York.[12]The mayor appointed 33 New York City residents to the task force.[13]Among those selected were three longstanding critics from the civil libertiescommunity, former high-ranking New York City Police Department administrators,three City Council members, a borough president, several media representatives,as well as civic, religious, and community leaders.[14]

In March1998, after 6 months of work, the task force generated 91 specificrecommendations to the mayor and the NYPD to improve police-community relations.According to the NYPD, more than 87 percent of the recommendations made by thetask force have been fully or �partially� implemented. The NYPD provided theU.S. Commission on Civil Rights with a list of all the recommendations and thestatus of their implementation at the time of the Commission�s May 1999hearing.[15]According to the NYPD, only 75 of the 91 recommendations pertain to the NYPDand, of those 75, only 5 were rejected, including (1) the recommendation tochange the title of the deputy commissioner for community affairs to the deputycommissioner for community relations; (2) the recommendation to establish aprogram development and evaluation unit within the community affairs division;(3) the recommendation to require a 1-day field training program for policerecruits at Rikers Island with the Department of Corrections; (4) therecommendation to create a sergeants� leadership institute; and (5) therecommendation to increase the size of the NYPD Youth Academy from 1,000 to5,000 participants.[16]

Threemembers of the task force drafted a dissenting report entitled *DeflectingBlame: The Dissenting Report of the Mayor�s Task Force on Police/CommunityRelations* in which they alleged that (1) Mayor Giuliani had failed toprovide the task force with the full-time staff and $12�15 million budget thathad been promised;[17](2) that the mayor had failed to attend any task force functions, including thefive town-hall-style public hearings;[18](3) that the mayor had been �intent on control�[19]of the task force and had cut short the amount of time it was given to completeits work;[20]and (4) that the NYPD did not answer all the questions put forth by the taskforce, despite assurances from the mayor and Police Commissioner Safir that allquestions would be answered.[21]The dissenting report concluded:

> 
Instead ofurging us to investigate how police officers who have abused citizens were ableto become cops in the first place; what kind of training they received; whyofficers who are accused of excessive force are rarely disciplined, and what canbe done to break the blue wall of silence, Mayor Giuliani gave his Task Forcethe assignment of developing a curriculum for establishing a structured dialoguebetween the police and the community.[22]

**MajorNYPD Community-PolicingInitiatives**

**Courtesy,Professionalism and Respect Campaign**

In June1996, the New York City Police Department began implementing a program calledthe Courtesy, Professionalism and Respect (CPR) program as discussed earlier.[23]The CPR program promotes professionalism within the department, including theconstant display of courtesy and respect toward the citizens of New York City.[24]The NYPD initiated the program in response to a rise in the number of complaintsagainst the NYPD.[25]The mayor believes there is a problem in the relationship between the New YorkPolice Department and the communities of color in New York, which must beaddressed from both sides of the problem.[26]Many of the complaints concerned discourteous conduct by members of the NYPD.[27]In order to improve the situation it is critical that officers understand theneed for respectful treatment of the people of New York.[28]The program has been described by the mayor as

> 
valuablebecause we invest, I can do it for you in terms of dollars, we invest $15, $20million training police officers and retraining them into acting respectfullytowards people. We train them to refer to people as Mr. and Ms. We train them totry to explain to people why they�re doing what they do. We train them almostto go out of their way to be respectful, almost to the point of people laughingat what we�re trying to do. But we do it in order to impress on them the needto be respectful to citizens of the community.[29]

According tothe NYPD, the ultimate goals of the CPR program include (1) a more productiverelationship between the NYPD and residents; (2) improved officer safety throughincreased public support; (3) more success for all crime strategies; and (4) animage of members of the NYPD as law enforcement professionals.[30]To accomplish these goals, the NYPD provides its officers with in-servicetraining as well as training at the Police Academy.[31]

CommissionerHoward Safir testified that if officers were more familiar with the communitiesin which they worked, it would help to ease the tensions between thesecommunities and the police.[32]For this reason, the CPR program includes cultural diversity workshops andissues of stereotypes, attitudes, and community relations; and focuses onlanguage and culture of Chinese, Hispanic, Russian, African/Caribbean Americanand Haitian people.[33]

Testimonyput forth at the New York hearing suggested that some members of the communitydo not view the CPR program as a success. As Dennis Walcott, president of theNew York Urban League, testified, �I have a clear sense from the communitythat they have total disregard for CPR. They do not believe in it. They thinkit�s a slogan. They think it�s something that�s just created to improvethe public image of the department.�[34]In fact, he points out, members of the NYPD violated Abner Louima�srights 2 months after the CPR committee report was released, effectivelyundermining its legitimacy.[35]Norman Siegel of the New York Civil Liberties Union views the CPR program as apublic relations ploy.[36]

**PrecinctCommunity Councils**

PrecinctCommunity Councils were first formed in New York City in 1943 to encouragecooperation between civilians and police. Currently there is a PrecinctCommunity Council in operation in each precinct and patrol service area. Thecouncils are open to all members of the public and include residents, businessowners, clergy, and civil rights groups. They typically meet monthlywith the precinct commander, and they present a constructive way for members ofthe public to interact with and let their views be known by local policeofficials.[37]

The ultimatepurpose of the Precinct Community Councils is to encourage community involvementand promote awareness of law enforcement efforts that enhance communityrelations. Any member of the community may attend the monthly meetings; they canvote on matters if they attended at least three meetings in the previous 12months.[38]Both Public Advocate Mark Green and Dennis Walcott, president of the NewYork Urban League, agree that using Precinct Community Councils is an effectiveway to build stronger relationships between local precincts and communities.[39]Mr. Walcott goes on to explain that, as president of the Greater Council ofChurches Dr. Calvin Butts testified, there must be effective leadership at thelocal precinct level for such programs to be effective.[40]

**CitizensPolice Academy**

Conducted atthe Police Academy by veteran instructors, the goal of the Citizens PoliceAcademy is to promote better understanding and police-community relations.Classes take place 1 day each week for 13 weeks. After graduation, citizens mayassist with such things as the Child Identification program (fingerprinting) atstreet fairs. More than 600 people have participated in the fingerprintingprogram.[41]

**CulturalDiversity Workshops**

Culturaldiversity workshops were implemented in the NYPD in September 1998 to increaseawareness of and tolerance toward New York City�s multicultural communities.The workshops are composed of 1-day sessions. Police officers conduct opendialogues with supervisors and are shown videos dealing with the many ethniccultures represented in their police districts. As discussed earlier, NormanSiegel, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, was highlycritical of the diversity training material used by the NYPD. He testified atthe New York hearing that instead of confronting racial and ethnic stereotypes,the material �talk[s] in a pejorative way about immigrants and their impact ona city.�[42]He also suggests that some communities are barely mentioned in the materials,and other communities are portrayed in a negative fashion:

> 
I am a proudJewish American, so what I�m saying should [not be seen in a] negative way,but when you have 11 pages for [Jewish Americans] and the fastest growingimmigrant community in the city, the Dominican community, especially inWashington Heights, they get three paragraphs, something is wrong. In theAfrican American community section, which is about six pages, the implication isall black folk live where? In Harlem . . . . [T]he Puerto Rican community,implication where do they all live? East Harlem where�salsa music is playing through the evening.� Now this is just a sampling. Ican go on an on.[43]

Mr.Siegel�s testimony suggests that the training materials currently used by theNYPD are, at least in some ways, reinforcing negative and stereotypical imagesof racial and ethnic groups and communities rather than attempting to eradicatesuch stereotypes and instill cultural sensitivity.

**ModelBlock Program**

The ModelBlock program is an effort by the NYPD to target and clean up crime-riddenareas. It is a cooperative effort among the Patrol Services Bureau, theNarcotics Division, and the Office of the Deputy Commissioner Community Affairsand is designed to strengthen, stabilize, and eliminate drug and criminalactivity on proposed model blocks. The strategy combines the Deputy Commissioner Community Affairs Office�s Model Block program withselective narcotics enforcement. The enforcement component is coordinated by thePatrol Services Bureau and the Narcotics Division. The Deputy CommissionerAffairs Office coordinates the community outreach component, which consists ofhelping residents organize tenant and block associations that will monitor,maintain, and improve the block.

One sucheffort involved an operation in the 33rd Precinct that targeted one block thatallegedly had been overrun by drug gangs. The NYPD conducted an extensive11-month investigation and then executed warrants on the area drug gangs. Inaddition, the police set up barriers around the block to prevent narcotictrafficking, helped organize community meetings, and helped to create tenantpatrols and �block watchers� so that drug activity could be kept at bay.[44]

**ClergyLiaison Program**

The ClergyLiaison program was initially designed to enhance the cooperation of the policeand the clergy. The goal of the program was to utilize the clergy as advisors tolocal precincts. According to the Task Force on Police/Community Relations report, there are more than 400 active members of theprogram, which is conducted in 75 precincts. The liaisons are designed toprovide sensitivity training to the police and act as unofficial advisors to thepolice, as well as act in maintaining calm during times of community unrest.[45]

**Recommendationsof Mayor Giuliani�s Task Force on Police/CommunityRelations**

As it isnoted in the appendix, it has been difficult to assess the extent to whichrecommendations put forth by the mayor�s Task Force on Police/CommunityRelations have been implemented, and with what impact.[46]Recognizing the importance of many of the task force�s recommendations, theCommission summarizes below those that are most vital to improvingpolice-community relations in New York City.

**Courtesy,Professionalism and Respect Program**

Policeofficer training on diversity issues continues throughout an officer�s serviceand is included in the NYPD�s high-profile Courtesy, Professionalism andRespect, or CPR, program. Commissioner Safir started the NYPD�s CPR program in1996.[47]The mayor describes CPR as both a regimen of training and a formal code ofprofessional conduct that �addresses, in a comprehensive way, the manner inwhich police officers should handle every encounter with a member of thepublic.�[48]The philosophy of CPR is summarized by the final words of the policedepartment�s formal code of conduct: �Every encounter with a member of thepublic is an opportunity to strengthen police/community relations. Oneunprofessional encounter negates the positive work performed daily throughoutthe Department.�[49]This endeavor is described by the NYPD as a �complete philosophicalmakeover� addressing the �problem of alienation and misunderstanding betweenpolice officers and citizens,�[50]focusing on the importance of and methods for cultivating a strong relationshipbetween the NYPD and the community by �promoting a culture of professionalismand respect consistently applied in [the NYPD�s] interactions with each otherand the people [it] serves.�[51]CPR emphasizes �acknowledg[ing] the rights and dignity of those we come incontact with, . . . the diversity, traditions and cultures of others . . . [and]be[ing] cognizant of the manner in which we speak to others. . . .�[52]

The mayorestimates that the CPR program costs $15�20 million.[53]He believes this to be warranted.[54]�We train them almost to go out of their way to be respectful, almost to thepoint of people laughing at what we�re trying to do. But we do it in order toimpress on them the need to be respectful to citizens of the community.�[55]

The CPRtraining program is administered at the Police Academy to new recruits and isapplied to every aspect of their training.[56]Techniques such as verbal judo teach officers how to avoid disputes withcitizens and how to resolve potential problems with words rather than force.[57]Refresher courses and updates of this training are conducted on an in-servicebasis for NYPD veterans.[58]

Accountabilityfor supporting and implementing the CPR program lies with the commandingofficers. In fact, the NYPD keeps statistics regarding �CPR indicators� foreach commander.[59]Individual officers� CPR performance is also monitored, based on a number offactors, including Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) complaints and randomtesting of CPR performance.[60]Members of the first deputy commissioner�s office pose as members of thepublic and perform scripted scenarios based on common types of interactionsbetween the public and police, including telephone calls, street encounters, andvisits to department facilities.[61]Test subjects are rated on �initial contact, appearance and verbalintroduction, demeanor, and accuracy of information.�[62]Poor evaluations can result in retraining or discipline.[63]The performance of precinct commanders is also tracked, and negative performancecan adversely affect a commander�s career.[64]

Although theNYPD has proudly proclaimed that 99 percent of tested officers performed withinacceptable CPR standards,[65]the program has not been well received by members of the public, who describedit as nothing but a �slogan,� and �hold [the CPR program] in totalcontempt.�[66]Given the widespread complaints regarding police treatment of citizens, theslightly over 98 percent �acceptability rating� more likely indicates adeficiency in the CPR standards than a successful �philosophical makeover�in the NYPD. In fact, the dissenting report by the mayor�s Task Force onPolice/Community Relations found �no credible evidence to conclude that CPRhas worked to reduce police-community conflict; indeed, the concept of CPRis undermined as long as it is not tied to a system of discipline andaccountability.�[67] 

The majorityreport by the mayor�s task force concurred. The task force members believedthat while the CPR campaign was at the core of improving police-communityrelations, they had concerns regarding how effectively the campaign was beingimplemented. The report stated:

> 
[R]egardlessof how well intentioned the strategy may be, without a structured and monitoredimplementation, we are confident that this strategy will fail. Therefore, propercitizen input and management review needs to occur on a regular basis to ensurethat the true intention and deeper goal of CPR is accomplished. It is the TaskForce�s belief that this deeper goal reaches far beyond the promoting of apositive public image campaign.[68]

The taskforce specifically recommended that the NYPD institutionalize in-service CPRtraining during specific times outside the precinct, in the same way thatfirearms training is mandated. The task force also recommended that the NYPDestablish separate CPR academies and borough conferences for precinctcommanders, captains, lieutenants, and sergeants. The purpose of the CPRacademies would be to separately train each of the four uniform supervisoryranks in how to effectively manage or supervise compliance with the overall CPRstrategy and practical application of specific CPR techniques. The purpose ofthe CPR borough conferences would be to provide each of the four uniformsupervisory ranks with a separate forum to develop and share effectiverank-specific techniques for managing or supervising compliance with allphilosophic and operational aspects of CPR.

**EnhancePrecinct Community Councils**

The TaskForce on Police/Community Relations found that one of the most popularpolice-community relations programs was the Precinct Community Councilsdescribed above. The task force found:

> 
During thevarious public forums, many community members were favorably disposed toward theconcept and purported mission of the Precinct Community Councils, as a mechanismfor civilian-police dialogue. However, they were especially critical that theCouncils have generally failed to meet their potential in exacting improvementsin the areas of quality of life, police/�community relations andcommunity-assisted policing.[69]

The taskforce discovered that the Precinct Community Councils were not accountable to acentralized authority and were not governed by a uniformly adopted missionstatement, goals, scope of responsibilities, and scope of activities. As aresult, the task force recommended that the NYPD adopt a mandated policy andprocedure manual for Precinct Community Councils that would place verysignificant emphasis on defining a mission statement, goals, scope ofresponsibilities, and scope of activities that are specifically designed toensure that the councils continuously and aggressively work to maximizeimprovements in the areas of quality of life, police-community relations, andcommunity-assisted policing.[70]

The taskforce identified additional problem areas in Precinct Community Counciloperations. For example, councils currently lack centralized technical support,they lack a mechanism for inter-council communication and idea sharing, and theylack centralized accountability for membership diversity and activities.Moreover, they do not have an annual budget, which makes it difficult to sponsorpolice-community forums and events.

To addressthe lack of inter-council communication and idea sharing, the task forcerecommended that the Precinct Community Councils be given personnel and resourcefunding to produce a monthly newsletter that would be circulated to all 76councils.

**EnhanceYouth Program Services**

Regardingthe issue of police-youth relations, the Task Force on Police/CommunityRelations stated the following:

> 
Of all thetrends, which emerged across the different forums, held by the Task Force,perhaps, the most adamantly presented was the concern of degrading Police-Youthrelations. Mothers and Fathers expressed fear that their children would fallvictim to police brutality, while youth expressed outright contempt for policeofficers. Their concerns were not limited to police violence and misconduct, butalso focused on the negative impact that attitudes have on the entire community.This includes the lost opportunity of police officers to play a positive role inthe development of youth and the increased likelihood that youth will bearrested when they encounter the police due to their disrespectful behavior.[71]

As discussedabove, the NYPD operates eight programs specifically targeted at working withyouth, including Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE), Gang ResistanceEducation and Training (GREAT), Youth Police Academy, Police Athletic League(PAL), the Youth Leadership program, the Mentoring program, Law EnforcementExplorer program, and the After School Program for Interactive Recreation andEducation (ASPIRE).

The taskforce recommended that the Youth Academy be expanded from the current level of1,000 youth participants per summer to 5,000 participants per summer. To reachmore youths, the task force also recommended that the NYPD develop police-youthencounter workshops. These would consist of hands-on activities to familiarizeyoung people with typical police-community interactions and encourage dialoguebetween police officers and youth. After an introductory portion, the studentsand officers would participate in role-play exercises depicting various policeand community interactions such as stopping a person, questioning and frisking,arrest, and car stops. The youth would take the role of the police officer andthe police officer would serve as the community member.[72]

**ImplementPolice-Community Dialogues**

In order toeffectively allow the police and the community to assess and understand eachother, the Task Force on Police/Community Relations recommended that the NYPDsignificantly enhance its formal communication with its citizens. Specifically,the task force recommended that all precinct commanders develop and implement acitizen-police information seminar series to complement the Citizens PoliceAcademy. The purpose of this seminar series would be to educate local citizenson both departmentwide and precinct-specific police training, policies,procedures, practices, strategies, and duties, as well as resources available tothe immediate community. In addition, the seminar series would, by design,foster positive and constructive dialog between police and community members onthe status of police-community relations in their respective precincts.

In light ofthe task force�s recommendations the NYPD, to further advance its crimereduction gains and foster positive police-community relations, through theOffice of the Deputy Commissioner Community Affairs expanded the CPR strategy toinclude the following new initiatives: borough forums, precinct open houses,outdoor range events, new booklet and brochures on communityaffairs in the NYPD, police fellowship conferences, firearms tactics rangeevents, and an Islamic pre-Ramadan conference.[73]

The taskforce also recommended that each of the 76 precinct commanders and CommunityPrecinct Councils develop and institute �citizen-police town hall dialogues�to address police-related issues or concerns raised by citizens. Certainly,these forums would also be useful during times of heightened police-communitytensions. Furthermore, all precinct commanders and Community Precinct Councilpresidents should receive facilitation skills training to more effectively andefficiently facilitate these dialogues. The purpose of these forums would be toprovide an opportunity for community members to express openly their anger andconcerns to uniform staff of the precinct, dispel untrue or unsubstantiatedinformation on the part of the police and/or community members, and work towardeasing tensions.

**Reinvigoratethe Clergy Liaison Program**

 Thetask force suggested that the Clergy Liaison program could be more effective ifthe NYPD adopted clear guidelines as to the use of the program, if commandingofficers were required to convene quarterly meetings with the active clergy ineach precinct, and if Clergy Liaison members were required to attend a biannualconference which would be held to discuss current clergy efforts.

**Enhancethe Cadet Corps**

As describedin chapter 2, the NYPD�s Police Cadet Corps is an innovative apprenticeshipprogram that introduces college students to the challenges and rewards of acareer in law enforcement. The specific focus of the task force�srecommendation was that the funding levels be dramatically increased. Not onlydoes this program provide and promote greater understanding between thecommunity and the police, but it also provides the NYPD with a pool ofwell-educated applicants that tends to reside in the city and to reflect a greatdiversity of racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Related tothis recommendation, the task force also recommended that the NYPD take steps toimpose a residency requirement on its officers. Currently, the racial and ethnicmakeup of the NYPD is not reflective of the city�s diversity. The city�spopulation is approximately 61 percent nonwhite�31.6 percent African American,20.3 percent Latino, and 9.7 percent Asian American/Pacific Islander�while thedepartment�s racial makeup is 68 percent Caucasian, 13 percent black, 18percent Latino, and 1 percent Asian American/Pacific Islander. The task forcebelieves a residency requirement would result in the hiring of more AfricanAmericans, Latinos, and Asian American/Pacific Islanders and, consequently,would enhance the public�s perception of police officers.

**Findings andRecommendations: Chapter 3**

**Finding 3.1:**The NYPD has not been clear enough in articulating�both to the media and tothe general public�the extent to which recommendations put forth by themayor�s Task Force on Police/Community Relations were being implemented, andwith what impact.

**Recommendation3.1:** The City of New York and the NYPD must reevaluate their compliance with therecommendations made by the mayor�s Task Force on Police/Community Relations.Specific and detailed information should be released so that the media and thegeneral public have an understanding of the extent to which the recommendationshave been implemented, and with what impact. To help facilitate the dispersal ofthis information, the Commission has attached a list of the task forcerecommendations and their implementation by the NYPD as appendix A.

**Finding 3.2:**Mayor Giuliani�s Task Force on Police/Community Relations began itsfactfinding process by convening a series of public forums that included bothmembers of the community and members of the NYPD. These public forums providedcivilians with direct contact with police officers in a constructive,nonconfrontational setting. Furthermore, testimony put forth at the New Yorkhearing suggests that when such open dialogue does not take place on a regularbasis, there is a resulting deterioration in police-community relationships,characterized by lack of trust and civility and by an unwillingness of civiliansto share information about, and to collaborate against, crime problems.

**Recommendation3.2:** Public forums involving both the police and the community should continueto take place at regular intervals throughout the year. This would alloweveryone in attendance at the forums�community members, politicians, andpolice officials�to learn about and develop greater respect for the racial,economic, and cultural diversity of the citizens of New York. The increaseddialogue would also allow problems and concerns to be aired and addressed beforethey become serious grievances, e.g., the perceived unwarranted use of force bypolice, the perceived unwarranted �stop and frisks� and interrogations bypolice, and the perceived targeting of people of color. Participation inPrecinct Community Councils should be actively promoted within the departmentand throughout the community, with community members being given regular updatesin newsletters or other communication from the department regarding issues ofconcern that the councils are addressing.

**Finding 3.3:**Testimony put forth at the New York hearing suggested that the NYPD trainingacademy needs to be reformed. This is of particular concern because of thePolice Academy�s pivotal role in molding future officers� values, behaviors,and police practices.

**Recommendation3.3:** We recommend the creation of a *temporary*independent commission which will undertake athorough investigation and examination of the practices and training materialsthat are currently used by the academy.

**Finding 3.4:**It has been demonstrated that sustained community policing�in which officerswork closely with neighborhood residents�can drive out crime and improvepolice-community relations.

**Recommendation3.4:**

-  The NYPDshould have aggressive outreach programs to publicize the successful stories ofcommunity policing and to involve increased numbers of residential neighborhoodsand communities in similar programs.In histestimony, Mayor Giuliani discussed the ongoing training being conducted underthe Courtesy, Professionalism and Respect campaign. While the training the mayordescribed is vital for positive police-community relations, the Commissionbelieves the program should place additional emphasis in the areas of diversity,conflict resolution, and interpersonal relations. Moreover, perhaps thesetraining sessions could be opened up to members of the community, therebyincreasing the community�s trust of, and contact with, the police.The NYPDshould work harder to include community members in planning and policydevelopment. This could be done by broadening relationships with schools,universities, faith-based groups, and community organizations.When membersof the NYPD receive academy training, they need to be prepared for developingcommunity relationships and partnerships�including being taught specificstrategies for developing such ties to the community. Further, when officers areevaluated, they need to be rewarded for developing community relationships andpartnerships.Given theintegral role that computers are now playing in society, the Commission suggeststhe creation of a Web site to provide the public access to data collected byboth the NYPD and by the Civilian Complaint Review Board. Eventually, therecould be links between the NYPD Web site and other local, state, national, andinternational law enforcement Web sites.While thisreport concentrates on the police practices of the NYPD, the Commission alsoencourages statewide studies and training on racial profiling, excessive use offorce, and race and ethnic group relations. Moreover, the Commission supportsthe involvement of civil rights and community groups and coalitions in reviewingand formulating legislation to address issuesof racial profiling, police misconduct, and excessive use of force. This couldinclude the development of community surveys to assess police-communityrelations, to identify obstacles to community partnerships, and to helpcommunities set priorities for addressing quality of life concerns.

[1]        State of New York, Office of Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, *The New York    City Police Department�s �Stop & Frisk� Practices: A Report to the    People of the State of New York from the Office of the Attorney General,*    1999, p. 47; Fox Butterfield, �Cities Reduce Crime and Conflict without    New York style Hardball,� *The New York Times*, Mar. 4, 2000, p. A1 (San    Diego pioneered community and problem-solving policing, and Boston combines    research, working with local ministers, and targeting the worst criminals).

[2]        Ibid. (citing R.C. Trojanowicz and D. Carter, *The Philosophy and Role of    Community Policing*, the National Center for Community Policing, Michigan    State University, 1988), p. 4.

[3]        New York City Police Department, *Courtesy Professionalism and Respect    Handbook*, 1996, p. 1 (hereafter cited as *CPR Handbook*). 

[4]        Howard Safir, testimony before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on *Police    Practices and Civil Rights in New York City*, hearing, New York, NY, May 26,    1999, transcript, p. 217 (hereafter cited as New York Hearing Transcript). 

[5]        Giuliani Testimony, New York Hearing Transcript, p. 53.

[6]        Safir Testimony, New York Hearing Transcript, p. 215. 

[7]        Ibid., p. 217.

[8]        Giuliani Testimony, New York Hearing Transcript, p. 57.

[9]        Ibid., p. 58.

[10]        Ibid., pp. 58�59.

[11]        Mr. Louima suffered severe internal injuries, including a ruptured bladder    and colon, and spent 2 months in the hospital. Former officer Justin Volpe    pleaded guilty to the attack and is currently serving a 30-year sentence.    Former officer Charles Schwarz was convicted of violating Mr. Louima�s    civil rights by leading him into the bathroom of the 70th Precinct station    and holding him down during the attack. Subsequently, Mr. Schwarz and former    officers Thomas Wiese and Thomas Bruder were all found guilty of conspiracy    to obstruct justice because they had claimed that Mr. Schwarz was not    present during the attack on Mr. Louima. Schwarz was sentenced to 15b    years in prison, while Wiese and Bruder each received a 5-year sentence. See    �Louima Jurors Finish 3rd Day of Deliberations,� The Associated Press, *Newsday*, Mar. 4, 2000, p. A16; and �Three Officers Convicted in N.Y.    Torture Case,� The Associated Press, Mar. 6, 2000.

[12]    *See Task Force on New York City Police/Community Relations: Report to the    Mayor,* March 1998 (hereafter cited as March 1998 Task Force Report), p. vii. 

[13]        Ibid., pp. iii�vii. 

[14]        Ibid. 

[15]        During its investigation, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights requested    specific and detailed information from the NYPD that would have allowed the    Commission to determine the extent to which the task force recommendations    were being implemented, and with what impact. Initially, the information    provided to the Commission was conclusory�it     lacked specificity with regard to scope, strategy, timeframe, cost,    and impact. See NYPD Pamphlet, �Your Right and Responsibilities When    Interacting With the Police� (attached as appendix). On Dec. 9, 1999, in a    statement before the New York City Council Public Safety Committee, Police    Commissioner Howard Safir gave examples of programs and procedures the    department is using or is in the process of developing to implement some of    the recommendations of the task force. Subsequently, this statement was    provided to the Commission by the NYPD. 

[16]        Letter from Steven M. Fishner, criminal justice coordinator, the City of New    York, Office of the Mayor, to Mary Frances Berry, chairperson, U.S.    Commission on Civil Rights, June 24, 1999.

[17]        Michael Meyers, Margaret Fung, and Norman Siegel, *Deflecting Blame: The    Dissenting Report of the Mayor�s Task Force on Police/Community Relations*    (New York Civil Liberties Union: March 1998), p. 5 (hereafter cited as    Meyers et al., Deflecting Blame).

[18]        Ibid.

[19]        Ibid., p. 6.

[20]        Ibid.

[21]        Ibid., p. 5.

[22]        Ibid.

[23]    *See* March 1998 Task Force Report, pp. 15�16; CPR Handbook, pp. 1�3; *see    also* chap. 2 of this report.

[24]    *See* New York City Police Department Nomination Memorandum, 1998 Innovations    in American Government; *March 1998 Task Force Report*, pp. 15�16; *CPR    Handbook*, pp. 1�5.

[25]        Ibid. 

[26]        Giuliani Testimony, New York Hearing Transcript, p. 60.

[27]    *See* Nomination Memorandum, 1998 Innovations in American Government; *March    1998 Task Force Report,* pp. 15�16; *CPR Handbook*, pp. 1�3.

[28]        Giuliani Testimony, New York Hearing Transcript, p. 58.

[29]        Ibid., pp. 57�58.

[30]    *See* Nomination Memorandum, 1998 Innovations in American Government; *March    1998 Task Force Report*, pp. 15�16; *CPR Handbook*, pp. 1�3.

[31]    *See* New York City Police Department, CPR Training Agendas for Patrol    Boroughs; *March 1998 Task Force Report*, pp. 15�19; *see also* chap. 2 of    this report.

[32]        Safir Testimony, New York Hearing Transcript, p. 215.

[33]        Ibid., pp. 159�60.

[34]    *See* Walcott Testimony, New York Hearing Transcript, pp. 110�11.

[35]        Ibid., p. 111.

[36]        Siegel Testimony, New York Hearing Transcript, p. 111.

[37]    *See* New York City Police Department, Precinct Community Council Regulations.

[38]        Ibid.

[39]        Green Testimony, New York Hearing Transcript, p. 264; Walcott Testimony, New    York Hearing Transcript, p. 129. 

[40]        Walcott Testimony, New York Hearing Transcript, p. 130; Butts Testimony, New    York Hearing Transcript, p. 130.

[41]    *See* New York City Police Department, Citizens� Police Academy/Alumni    Association Promotional Flyer.

[42]        Siegel Testimony, New York Hearing Transcript, p. 113; *see also* chap. 2 of    this report.

[43]        Ibid., pp. 113�14.

[44]    *See* Various NYPD Model Block Program Memoranda.

[45]    *See* New York City Precinct Community Council Regulations; *March 1998 Task    Force Report*, pp. 37�39.

[46]    *See* appendix.

[47]        Rudolph W. Giuliani, mayor of the City of New York, statement to the U.S.    Commission on Civil Rights, New York, NY, May 26, 1999, p. 7 (hereafter    cited as Mayor�s Statement). 

[48]        Ibid., pp. 7�8.

[49]        Ibid., p. 8. 

[50]        New York City Police Department, 1999 Innovations in American    Government�Courtesy, Professionalism and Respect Strategy (hereafter cited    as 1999 Innovations in American Government).

[51]        New York City Police Department, 1998 Innovations in American    Government�Courtesy, Professionalism and Respect Strategy.

[52]        1998 Innovations in American Government, p. 2. Specific elements of CPR    training include verbal judo, CPR values training, and 1-day CPR training    sessions that involve meetings with members of the community to discuss    problems and possible solutions. 1998 Innovations in American Government, p.    5. 

[53]        Giuliani Testimony, New York Hearing Transcript, p. 57. 

[54]        Ibid.

[55]        Ibid.

[56]        Mayor�s Statement, p. 8.

[57]        Ibid.

[58]        Ibid. 

[59]        1998 Innovations in American Government, p. 2.

[60]        Ibid.

[61]        Ibid., p. 6.

[62]        1999 Innovations in American Government.

[63]        Ibid.

[64]        Ibid., p. 219. 

[65]        1999 Innovations in American Government.

[66]        Walcott Testimony, New York Hearing Transcript, p. 110. 

[67]        Meyers et al., *Deflecting Blame,* p. 47. The NYPD reports that of the 173    test failures from October 1996 through March 2000, at least 90 officers    have received formal written discipline. Additionally, NYPD states that    accountability is reflected in the requirement that each failure be    investigated by the officer�s commanding officer, and the commander must    submit a written report on the findings of the investigation and include any    corrective action taken.

[68]    *See March 1998 Task Force Report*, p. 15.

[69]        Ibid., pp. 19�23.

[70]        Since the hearing in this matter, the NYPD has adopted a mandatory polices    and procedures manual for Precinct Community Councils that addresses many of    the points raised by the mayor�s task force.

[71]    *See March 1998 Task Force Report*, pp. 23�24. 

[72]        NYPD is currently conducting workshops in various schools that educate young    people on their rights and responsibilities in dealing with the police and    the job of police officers. A copy of the NYPD pamphlet, �Your Rights and    Responsibilities When Interacting with the Police,� is attached as an    appendix. Additionally, the NYPD is in the process of developing a    youth/police video and a high school curriculum to enhance youth-police    relations. 

[73]        Descriptions of each new initiative are detailed in the*NYPD Response*,    attached as appendix D.