...
According to recent police data, more than 90% of the people arrested regarding social distancing rules were Black and Latinx, and 82% of those who received summons for violations were Black or Latinx. Between March 16 and May 5, police issued 374 summonses for “violations of emergency procedures and acts liable to spread disease.” Three-hundred and four of those summonses went to Black and Latinx people.
Loyda Colon, a leader of Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) and co-director of the Justice Committee, said the numbers are not surprising.
“The stark racial disparities reflected in the initial release of NYPD social distancing enforcement data confirms what we already knew about police officers brutalizing Black New Yorkers and other New Yorkers of color during the COVID-19 pandemic,” they said. “Mayor de Blasio must take action today to remove the NYPD from social distancing enforcement. The fact that de Blasio has refused to insist on unpaid suspensions and firing of abusive officers has created a dangerous situation where officers who abuse their authority know their jobs are safe and that they won't be held accountable by the department.”
