Anti-Racial Profiling Bill Could Lead to Security Breach, Lawsuits, NYPD Head Says

This story was written by C. Zawadi Morris.

New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly warned that a City Council anti-racial profiling bill, set to be voted on today, could force the removal of security cameras from high-crime neighborhoods and lead to lawsuits against the city, the Post writes.

In a letter to the council, Kelly said the security cameras were placed in high-crime areas to deter criminal activity and help solve cases. He added, the bill would handcuff cops by opening the floodgates to lawsuits.

“The bill would allow virtually everyone in New York City to sue the Police Department and individual police officers over the entire range of law-enforcement functions they perform,” Kelly wrote. “Please help us keep this important crime-fighting tool available to the Police Department. Your action against this bill tomorrow will save lives,” he said.

However, the bill’s co-sponsors, Jumaane Williams, D-Flatbush, and Brad Lander, D-Park Slope, called the commissioner’s claims absurd and misleading. Williams said the department should be able to deploy cameras without singling out people on the basis of race.

“I have funded cameras in my district and I’m not going to put in a bill that would take away those cameras,” Williams said.