A recent study from the city’s police oversight body states that complaints from civilians against the NYPD are at their highest level in over ten years.
5,604 accusations of police misconduct were received by the Civilian Complaint Review Board in 2023, which is a 51 percent rise from 2022 and the largest number since 2012.
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Based on allegations of force, abuse of power, rudeness, and inappropriate language, the oversight body may suggest charging a police officer; however, the NYPD commissioner has the final say over whether the department would act on the proposal.
The board’s report states that last year, the police commissioner adopted CCRB recommendations in 55% of instances, compared to 71% in 2021.
Civil rights activists stated it was not shocking at all that there was a reduction.
Chris Dunn, legal director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, a nonprofit advocacy group stated, “[Former] Commissioner [Keechant] Sewell explicitly said she would be imposing less discipline against officers.” He added, “There’s no question that the police department has taken a step back and chosen to reduce discipline.” Edward Caban took Sewell’s position after his unexpected resignation in June of last year.
The rise in complaints about police misconduct, according to an NYPD spokeswoman, was predicted given that in 2023, officers made 20% more arrests for non-violent offenses including drinking and loud music, public urination, and drinking.
The statement claims that “Increases in community complaints are expected to result in increases in police-public interactions and, logically, increases in enforcement.” It further noted, “The amount [of] CCRB complaints pales in comparison to the millions of interactions officers have with the public on [an] annual basis.”
However, Dunn said that the NYPD’s explanation for the rise in complaints from civilians was unfounded.
“It’s a complete diversion,” he remarked. “Complaint activity varies not by law enforcement activity but by excessive and overly aggressive law enforcement. There’s a very big difference between enforcing the law and abusing police authority.”
Brooklyn was the source of around one-third of the complaints. 25 complaints were filed against one police precinct in East New York last year, which is about four times more than the average for the 77 precincts in the city.
According to the study, the NYPD reprimanded officers in over half of the 155 instances decided by the CCRB last year by taking away one to ten vacation days or suspending the cop for one to ten days.
After a trial, ten policemen who had charges recommended by the board were declared guilty. The police department did not dismiss any of them.
