New York Attorney General Letitia James released a preliminary report Wednesday on the investigation into NYPD interactions with Black Lives Matter protesters following the death of George Floyd.
The Democrat’s office received more than 1,300 complaints, citing excessive force with batons, pepper spray and pushing vehicles into protesters, and blocking protesters in - or “kettling.” On a conference call Wednesday, James said the investigation is ongoing.
“We will continue to investigate other reported practices that impair community trust,” James said, “such as the lack of PPE, the use of racist hand gestures, and the covering of badges and name tags.”
James is calling for the NYPD to be overseen by a commission that has the authority to hire and fire NYPD leadership, including the Commissioner. She says the Civilian Complaint Review Board should be given final disciplinary authority over officers, and use of force policies need to be codified so that officers face consequences for violations.
