Many Americans took to the streets to protest the murder of George Floyd and the state of police brutality in America in the summer of 2020. In New York, videos showed the NYPD charging crowds and even going as far as punching people. According to the New York Times, New York City’s police oversight agency, the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), stated that 145 city police officers should be disciplined for misconduct during the demonstrations.
The agency found evidence to support 267 accusations of misconduct against the officers and then recommended the highest level of discipline. This could lead to an administrative trial, the loss of vacation days, suspension, or termination for 60 percent of these cases; a decision over whether those recommendations are followed lies with the police commissioner.
“Out of the 321 cases, the CCRB conducted full investigations for 223 cases and substantiated misconduct in 87 cases,” said CCRB Interim-Chair Arva Rice at the agency’s monthly board meeting. “The CCRB has recommended misconduct against 143 members of service, 88 of whom have been recommended the highest level of discipline.”
Out of the flood of complaints the CCRB received (over 750 complaints), the agency said 39% of the police misconduct complaints were substantiated. Fifty-nine cases were closed because the officers involved could not be identified. The CCRB noted NYPD had only finalized 44 cases and imposed no discipline on 23 of the officers involved, with just 18 officers facing discipline.
“The CCRB has seen unprecedented challenges in investigating these complaints particularly around the identification of officers due to the failure to follow proper protocols, officers covering their names and shield, officers wearing protective equipment that did not belong to them, the lack of proper use of body worn cameras, as well as incomplete and severely delayed paperwork,” the board said.