My name is Samy Feliz. I am representing the Justice Committee, a grassroots organization committed to ending police violence and systemic racism in New York City. I was born and raised in the Bronx and Washington Heights. To me, public safety is very personal. My brother, Allan Feliz, was killed by NYPD Lt. Jonathan Rivera and Officers Michelle Almanzar and Edward Barrett in 2019. Lt. Rivera has since been promoted, despite a documented record of 40 misconduct allegations and multiple...

My name is Christine Henson. I am the mother of Andrew Henson, who is affected by autism and limited speech abilities. When he was 16, Andrew was assaulted by the NYPD. It is disappointing that Mayor Mamdani’s executive budget invests approximately $12B in the NYPD, increases the officer headcount by 580, and increases funding to the failed B-HEARD program while failing to make real investments in services New Yorkers need. In 2018, I requested a speech evaluation at Andrew’s school, and...

New York City’s Civilian Complaint Review Board, ostensibly a police watchdog, cedes much power to police leadership. Experts say the mayor has the power to boost its independence. By Piper French New York City’s Civilian Complaint Review Board, the watchdog agency that oversees the New York Police Department, consistently touts its independence—“independent agency” is the first descriptor on all of the board’s official communications. The board, which investigates instances of alleged...