In Their Own Words
Part 2: Life as an NYPD target
“The Biggest Gang Here in New York City”: From Serve and Protect to Patrol and Control
Note: PROP originally published this report in May 2013. It is available in .pdf format from the PROP website. PROP is republishing it here in multiple parts to make its content more widely available and in the hope of spreading its findings and message. This report is even more relevant in light of continued public protests and discourse on biased policing practices in NYC and the United States.
“I got hit with a trespassing ticket right outside of my building. I had my identification and everything, and they said I was trespassing in my own neighborhood. So, ever since then, I’ve been not really too fond of coming out, even to come to the store, around certain times of night.” Prince, who was denied a promotion at work because of this trespassing ticket.22
“There have been periods of time in my life living in Jackson Heights where, for example, walking my dog at night, I have always felt the need to carry my ID because if I didn’t carry my ID in my own neighborhood, I would basically be putting myself [at risk] of being picked up and accused of doing sex work.” Maria P.23
“It forces me to look around wherever I am now.” Jawad Rasul, a Muslim student who learned he was being monitored by NYPD.24
“You gotta find the key quicker than [the cops] can find the key to the building. If they get there before you they’re going to stop you.” Angel, 17, plaintiff in a class action lawsuit against NYPD.25
“My family, which is my sister and nephew, they would come over every weekend to visit us. My sister don’t allow him to come see us anymore, nor she comes to visit me anymore. It’s been over a year now.” Fawn Bracy, Bronx mother.26
“I dress better if I go downtown. I don’t hang out with friends outside my neighborhood in Harlem as much as I used to. Essentially, I incorporated into my daily life the sense that I might find myself up against a wall or on the ground with an officer’s gun at my head. For a black man in his 20s like me, it’s just a fact of life in New York.” Nicholas Peart, Harlem resident.27
“People actually lose their employment because they weren’t able to come into work. And since jobs are so hard to get right about now, employers don’t want to hear, ‘Oh, you can’t come in today because you [were] just arrested.’ And when they’re released they have to start from scratch all over again and figure out another way to be self-sufficient and to take care of themselves and their families.” Mark K.28
“If you have violations or you have [been] convicted of crimes, you can’t get into public housing. So that’s one of the ways that it really crushes people that are homeless. It closes off that gate into New York City housing right away… And here’s the thing about it: Nobody informs you of this. [They] never tell you, ‘You know what? If you plead guilty today, you’re never going to be able to get New York City housing.’” Michael P.29
“[Cops will] ask, ‘Where are you headed?’ When you’re African-American, you have to have a definite destination.” Al Blount, Harlem minister.30
“I’m paranoid, scared…I know I can get arrested for just walking on the street. ’Cause if I’m walking with my friend, [the cops] just assume that I’m a prostitute, that I’m a sex worker, or just because I’m a Hispanic transgender woman, because of my gender, I can just get arrested.” April R.31
“[The cop] asked me if I had ID on me and I said, ‘My ID is in my house because I carry a passport.’ That’s when he told me to turn around, and put the handcuffs on me and locked me up… So that’s like a day off of your time for no reason, because they didn’t even have valid reason to pursue the case… To me, that’s like abduction because I didn’t do anything wrong.” Andre, South Bronx resident, recounting the story of his arrest for disorderly conduct.32
“Right then and there I just felt shut down. Like, I’m not gonna have no help, there’s nobody that’s gonna advocate for me.” Paris, transgender woman, describing how the NYPD discriminated against her when she approached them for help after an assault.33
“When [cops] stop you in the street, and then everybody’s looking… it does degrade you. And then people get the wrong perception of you. That kind of colors people’s thoughts towards you, might start thinking that you’re into some illegal activity, when you’re not… That’s humiliating [on] its own.” Laverne I.34
“I got family members that don’t send their kids over because they’re scared they’re going to be stopped. The point is, I want the police to do their job. It’s just how they’re going about doing it, because right now I don’t feel safe. I don’t feel safe for my kids.” Jacqueline Yates, Bronx mother.35
You can read this report in full, and many others, on PROP’s website.
