Cuomo signs more policing reform legislation
STAT Act requires courts to compile and publish racial and other demographic data of all low-level offenses
Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed policing reform legislation requiring state and local law enforcement officers to report within six hours when they discharge their weapon (S.2575-B/A.10608); requiring courts to compile and publish racial and other demographic data of all low-level offenses (S.1830-C/A.10609); and requiring police officers to provide medical and mental health attention to individuals in custody (S.6601-A/A.8226).
“Police reform is long overdue in this state and this nation, and New York is once again leading the way and enacting real change to end the systemic discrimination that exists in our criminal justice and policing systems,” Governor Cuomo said. “These critical reforms will help improve the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve and take us one step closer to righting the many injustices minority communities have faced because of a broken and unfair system.”
Police Statistics and Transparency Act (S.1830-C/A.10609)
The Police Statistics and Transparency Act – or STAT Act – requires courts to compile and publish racial and other demographic data of all low-level offenses, including misdemeanors and violations. The data collected must be made available online and updated monthly. The new law also requires police departments to report any arrest-related death to the Department of Criminal Justice Services and to submit annual reports on arrest-related deaths to the Governor and the Legislature.
Senator Brad Hoylman said, “The Police Statistics and Transparency (STAT) Act, a recommendation of President Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, requires law enforcement to collect and publicly report demographic information ranging from low-level arrests to in-custody deaths. Because of this legislation, we’ll finally have the data necessary to identify and root out the systematic and discriminatory policing practices that law enforcement uses to target Black and Brown New Yorkers.”
Weapons Discharge Reporting (S.2575-B/A.10608)
This new law requires that any law enforcement officer or peace officer who discharges their weapon, while on or off duty, where a person could be struck by a bullet from the weapon is required to verbally report the incident to his or her supervisor within six hours and prepare and file a written report within 48 hours of the incident.
Senator Jamaal T. Bailey said, “I would like to thank the Governor for signing this crucial piece of legislation, which requires law enforcement officials to report within six hours whenever they have discharged their weapon and could have struck an individual, and a written report within 48 hours. It is important to have this transparency within a department to foster a better public trust, ensure accountability, and improve community police relations.”
Providing Medical and Mental Health Attention to Individuals in Custody (S.6601-A/A.8226)
This new law requires police officers, peace officers and other law enforcement representatives and entities to provide medical and mental health attention to any individual in custody. Police can be liable for damages for anyone who does not receive medical attention and suffers a serious physical injury or has their injury exacerbated by the lack of care.
Senator Jamaal T. Bailey said, “I would like to thank the Governor for signing my bill, which would require law enforcement to call for medical attention if requested by the individual apprehended. Regardless of whether an individual is in custody or not, if they need medical attention it should be provided to them. In far too many of these cases, adequate medical assistance has been denied to these individuals or been so delayed that individuals have suffered needless, pain and suffering. In the most egregious cases, indifference or neglect of some persons’ conditions have even lead to senseless deaths, like that of Andrew Kearse, a young man whose pleas for medical attention went unheard.”
