Mayor Eric Adams has taken a firm stance by vetoing City Council legislation designed to enhance transparency within the NYPD regarding its interactions with the public. This move sets the stage for a potential clash between the mayor and the council. The legislation in question, known as the “How Many Stops Act,” consists of two bills aimed at curbing police misconduct by requiring officers to document lower-level interactions with the public, a practice not currently mandated.
In response to the veto, Speaker Adrienne Adams asserted the council’s preparedness to override it, citing the legislation’s sufficient support for such an action. Mayor Adams, in vetoing the bills, argued that the additional paperwork required to document a higher volume of interactions would significantly impede police officers in performing their duties and, in turn, compromise public safety.
The mayor made the announcement at a City Hall news conference, surrounded by law enforcement officials and community advocates. During his remarks, Mayor Adams emphasized that the veto was not a political maneuver but a decision based on the belief that the legislation could make the city less safe. He urged council members to understand the importance of directing resources towards public safety rather than increasing administrative burdens.
A key point of contention for Mayor Adams lies in the legislation’s requirement for officers to document demographics, including gender and race, during Level 1 stops, which involve basic information requests. He argued that this would burden officers with the need to guess demographic details, diverting their attention from ongoing investigations.
Proponents of the bill, led by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, countered Mayor Adams’s claims. They argued that Level 1 interactions specifically pertain to stops connected to police investigations and not casual encounters. The bill clarifies that investigative encounters exclude “casual conversations,” and supporters contended that the encounters would involve a streamlined process of checking boxes on a smartphone app rather than extensive paperwork.
In response to the veto, Williams accused the mayor of spreading misinformation and jeopardizing the safety of New Yorkers for ideological reasons. He criticized the mayor’s public campaign against the bill, characterizing it as a misinformation campaign that misleads both the public and the police.
Speaker Adams and Public Safety Committee Chair Yusef Salaam also took issue with the mayor’s approach, accusing him of choosing to “incite fear” through a propaganda campaign. They expressed concern about wasted government resources and the creation of division within the community.
However, not everyone was critical of the mayor’s veto. Council Member Robert Holden, a conservative Democrat representing parts of Queens, applauded Adams for the decision, stating that it was absolutely necessary to maintain public safety. Holden criticized the legislation, asserting that it undermines law enforcement and endangers New Yorkers, emphasizing that public safety is non-negotiable.
