The City Council voted to overrule two measures Mayor Eric Adams vetoed last week, resulting in a clash among top government leaders.
Members of the City Council Tuesday voted 42-9 to pass the How Many Stops Act bill, which requires police officers to file paperwork on low-level encounters.
“Today, the Council answered decades-long calls from communities most impacted by police stops and the harmful legacy of stop-and-frisk, to deliver much-needed transparency to policing and advance true public safety for New Yorkers,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “By collecting and disclosing data on investigative stops, the How Many Stops Act will bring forth a fuller picture of these encounters, fostering accountability and trust between the police and the communities they serve.
The bill won support from many families of victims who were subjected to police brutality, as the measure seeks to make most police encounters with the public more transparent. However, Adams and many police officials have said the law will burden NYPD officers with more paperwork, keeping them at their desks instead of patrolling the streets.
“Now codified into law, the How Many Stops Act will bring much needed transparency and accountability over the NYPD by providing New Yorkers a complete picture of all NYPD street stops and investigative encounters,” said Tina Luongo, Chief Attorney of the Criminal Defense Practice at The Legal Aid Society.
Council Member Crystal Hudson said the law would help cultivate a stronger relationship between the NYPD and our communities, one predicated on trust and integrity.
"This bill will provide the public and lawmakers alike with a complete and honest accounting of the way the police interact with our neighbors, helping us target and address the ugly vestiges of stop-and-frisk policing that are once again appearing in the communities we represent," she said.
In addition, council members voted to ban solitary confinement in city jails. Although the mayor previously said that practice has long been forbidden, others have said the disciplinary measure is still ongoing.
“These bills will make New Yorkers less safe on the streets, while police officers are forced to fill out additional paperwork rather than focus on helping New Yorkers and strengthening community bonds," the mayor said in a statement after the vote. "Additionally, it will make staff in our jails and those in our custody less safe by impairing our ability to hold those who commit violent acts accountable."
