The City Council on Wednesday advanced the “How Many Stops Act,” a measure designed to curb NYPD misconduct by shining a light on officers’ interactions with the public, despite fierce opposition from Mayor Eric Adams and some lawmakers.
Adams could attempt to block the legislation by exercising his veto power, though the outcome at the Dec. 20 stated meeting might make that a moot point. The legislation passed the council by 35 to 9 votes, with three abstentions — more than the two-thirds majority needed to override a possible downvote from the mayor.
Mayor Adams, on Wednesday, would not indicate one way or another if he plans to veto the bill, simply saying in a statement: “we are reviewing all options.”
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Council Member Alexa Aviles (D-Brooklyn) chiefly sponsored the central bill in the package, Int. 586. The second bill in the package, sponsored by Council Member Crystal Hudson, would require the department to report on what are known as “consent searches” — it passed by 39 to 7 votes.
The legislation aims to increase police transparency by requiring cops to publicly report on lower-level stops, which they currently do not have to disclose. Its ultimate goal is to dissuade officers from mistreating individuals they stop for investigative purposes, the majority of whom are Black and brown, following a 2013 U.S. Supreme Court ruling finding the NYPD’s use of stop-and-frisk practices to be unconstitutional.
