City Council overrides mayor’s veto, enacts sweeping police reform and solitary confinement ban

January 31, 2024 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

Speaker Adrienne Adams said that the Council was "proud" to override the mayor's veto on police and prison reform legislation. Behind her in this file photo is Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
Photo: John McCarten/City Council

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The New York City Council voted 42-9 to override Mayor Eric Adams’ vetoes of two significant criminal justice reform bills, marking a significant shift in the city’s approach to policing and corrections — the enactment of the How Many Stops Act (Int. 586-A) and a bill banning solitary confinement (Int. 549-A).

The two bills aim to address longstanding concerns about law enforcement practices and the treatment of incarcerated individuals in New York City.

“Today, the Council answered decades-long calls from communities most impacted by police stops and the harmful legacy of stop-and-frisk, to deliver much-needed transparency to policing and advance true public safety for New Yorkers,” said Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. “By collecting and disclosing data on investigative stops, the How Many Stops Act will bring forth a fuller picture of these encounters, fostering accountability and trust between the police and the communities they serve.”

The How Many Stops Act mandates that the NYPD, with its 36,000 officers, document all investigative encounters, including the recording of the race, gender, and age of individuals stopped, even in cases where there is no suspicion of a crime. This legislation is a response to the stop-and-frisk policy that disproportionately affected communities of color. By making this data public, the act aims to increase transparency and accountability within the NYPD.

Mayor Adams, a former NYPD captain, had expressed concerns that the requirement to report on low-level stops would burden officers with paperwork, potentially diverting their attention from more critical law enforcement activities. Supporters believe that increased transparency and accountability will ultimately lead to more effective policing and a safer city.

The second bill targets the use of solitary confinement in city jails, a practice that has been criticized for its detrimental effects on mental health and well-being. By banning solitary confinement, the council aims to improve conditions within the correctional system and promote more humane treatment of detainees.

“The Council was also proud to override the mayor’s veto to ban solitary confinement in city jails and advance a new approach to reduce violence and prioritize safety for both staff and those detained,” Speaker Adrienne Adams said. “As government, we have a responsibility to do right by New Yorkers who have been persistently harmed and failed by these unjust policies.”