Home » News » New York police abused George Floyd protesters, review finds

New York police abused George Floyd protesters, review finds

New York police have been found to have abused protesters during the 2020 George Floyd protests, according to the findings of an independent review panel.

The Civil Complaints Review Board has recommended that the department punish dozens of officers for using excessive force against protesters, as well as disciplinary action for other alleged misconduct amid protests, according to Reuters .

The report claims police used pepper spray and batons on peaceful protesters in 140 cases, and includes dozens of allegations of abuse of authority. These abuses include officers refusing to identify themselves, concealing their badges and making false or misleading statements, according to the report.

“Protests against police brutality have spawned more cases of police misconduct,” CCRB acting chairwoman Arva Rice said in the report. “If this misconduct is not corrected, it will never be reformed.”

The New York Police Department disagreed with many of the findings included in the report. He pushed back, saying less than 15% of the claims made in the report were correct. The department released a statement saying the review board exaggerated its allegations of misconduct and that less than 11% of department officers were implicated in the alleged violations.

“The substantiation rate for allegations against officers of less than 15% confirms that the NYPD’s response to the summer 2020 protests was broadly professional, commendable, and sensitive to the unique circumstances that were present at the time,” NYPD Acting Deputy Commissioner Carrie Talansky said in a statement.

Protests erupted across the country in 2020 after Minneapolis police officers killed George Floyd, a black man accused of trying to pass a fake bill while trying to buy cigarettes.

The report suggested 17 policy changes the department needed to implement to address the issues described. The NYPD said in its response that it has already implemented many policies.

The board recommended that of the 146 officers mentioned in the report, 89 should face internal charges that could result in dismissal from the department. The review also recommended disciplinary action for 57 other officers, which could include the loss of vacation days.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.