Bronx, New York – Today, Assemblyman Marcos A. Crespo, chair of the Assembly Task Force on New Americans, citing years of damage to police-community relations released the following statement on Mayor De Blasio’s plan to overhaul the training of New York City police.

“For decades, the ability for the police to carry out its public safety duties has been hindered by the action of rogue police officers charged with brutality in highly publicized cases. Some of these cases included the killing of unarmed citizens. In many other instances, the excessive use of force or the blatant disrespect for city residents has dismantled the strong cooperation that should exist between law enforcement and the public.

This hostile relationship, created by the absence of oversight mechanisms and training systems that would improve policing, has prevented successful crime prevention efforts from being successful everywhere in our city.

Recognizing the confidence problems that communities were having in accessing the police, and which later were aggravated by the policing tactic commonly known as “stop and frisk,” since 2011, I have worked on legislation to force changes on the New York City Police Department to improve community relations and improve crime prevention.

I am extremely confident today that the retraining of New York City police announced by Mayor Bill De Blasio will lead our city to be a safer place for all its residents, while improving the daily interaction between law enforcement and this immensely diverse city we call home.

The “seven steps to positive community interactions” outlined as new guidelines by Mayor De Blasio are a starting point in making all our residents feel that the police are their friends, not an occupying force in their communities.

I look forward to working with the Mayor and the police department to ensure that the guidelines and new training result in the improved community-policing that will truly encompass respect in the interaction police have with all New Yorkers.”

The list of bills referenced by Assemblyman Crespo in his work to improve community-policing are:

Assembly Bill 2418 - Creates the temporary state commission on the use of excessive force by law enforcement;

Assembly Bill 2467 - Requires police officers in New York City to complete community affairs duties on an annual basis; and

Assembly Bill 2468 - Requires participation in a training refresher course in tactical communications and cultural and community awareness by officers of the New York City police force.