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The NYPD's ugly history of racial profiling The NYPD's ugly history of racial profiling
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Just as, every day, I pray for the safety of my family members who serve in the New York Police Department, now I also have to pray for safety and security of my community from the very agency that is legally bound to protect them. Recently, it has been revealed that New York's police commissioner sat for a 90-minute interview during the making of The Third Jihad, a patently anti-Muslim film. Just as troubling, for months the commissioner and his staff played down both his involvement and the extent of the film's viewing by cadets in training.Just as, every day, I pray for the safety of my family members who serve in the New York Police Department, now I also have to pray for safety and security of my community from the very agency that is legally bound to protect them. Recently, it has been revealed that New York's police commissioner sat for a 90-minute interview during the making of The Third Jihad, a patently anti-Muslim film. Just as troubling, for months the commissioner and his staff played down both his involvement and the extent of the film's viewing by cadets in training.
The level of obfuscation has shocked New Yorkers and left many wondering: what else might the NYPD be lying to us about? Let me tell you about a few policing methods that have left a bad taste in many diverse communities. The level of obfuscation has shocked New Yorkers and left many wondering: what else might the NYPD be lying to us about? Let me tell you about a few policing methods that have left a bad taste in the mouths of many of the city's diverse communities.
The NYPD has had a long standing history of bad policing in black and Latino communities. In 2010 alone, the NYPD engaged in more than 600,000 stop-and-frisks searches; 84% of those stopped were of black or Latino. Time and again, police officers have used force when stopping blacks or Latinos. Half of these stops have been cited as "furtive movements", a label that portrays black and brown people as clandestine. The stop-and-frisk widespread problem that is racially discriminatory under the ostensible excuse that the practice is necessary in fighting crime. Sadly, this procedure has not proved to reduce crime or make the city any safer.The NYPD has had a long standing history of bad policing in black and Latino communities. In 2010 alone, the NYPD engaged in more than 600,000 stop-and-frisks searches; 84% of those stopped were of black or Latino. Time and again, police officers have used force when stopping blacks or Latinos. Half of these stops have been cited as "furtive movements", a label that portrays black and brown people as clandestine. The stop-and-frisk widespread problem that is racially discriminatory under the ostensible excuse that the practice is necessary in fighting crime. Sadly, this procedure has not proved to reduce crime or make the city any safer.
Another method deployed by the NYPD is subway bag searches, which were instituted in the wake of the July 2005 attempt to bomb London's subways. NYC subway riders are "randomly" selected for search. The NYPD's formula is, supposedly, to stop every 25th person. In 2009, the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a Brooklyn man, Jangir Sultan, a 32-year-old native New Yorker who has been stopped and searched by police officers 21 times since the NYPD's subway bag searches began. This is another policing method to date that has not foiled any subway rider plots or provided any leads; the only thing it has done is further perpetuate racial profiling. Another method deployed by the NYPD is subway bag searches, which were instituted in the wake of the 7 July 2005 bombing of London's public transport system and the further 21 July 2005 attempt to bomb the underground. NYC subway riders are "randomly" selected for search. The NYPD's formula is, supposedly, to stop every 25th person. In 2009, the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a Brooklyn man, Jangir Sultan, a 32-year-old native New Yorker who has been stopped and searched by police officers 21 times since the NYPD's subway bag searches began. This is another policing method to date that has not foiled any subway rider plots or provided any leads; the only thing it has done is further perpetuate racial profiling.
I only wish it stopped there, but it doesn't. In 2007, the NYPD released the Radicalization in the West: The Home Grown Threat report (pdf) specifically targeting Muslim New Yorkers. Then, this past summer, Commissioner Kelly crossed another line by partnering with the CIA. Under his leadership, the NYPD has engaged in programs that have no regard for civil liberties. Practices such as data-mapping of Muslim American communities, extensive and unwarranted surveillance of individuals, mosques, community leaders and organizations have become common practices.I only wish it stopped there, but it doesn't. In 2007, the NYPD released the Radicalization in the West: The Home Grown Threat report (pdf) specifically targeting Muslim New Yorkers. Then, this past summer, Commissioner Kelly crossed another line by partnering with the CIA. Under his leadership, the NYPD has engaged in programs that have no regard for civil liberties. Practices such as data-mapping of Muslim American communities, extensive and unwarranted surveillance of individuals, mosques, community leaders and organizations have become common practices.
In October 2011, the AP reported that the NYPD goes as far as monitoring "Muslims who change their names to sound more traditionally American, as immigrants have done for generations, or who adopt Arabic names as a sign of their faith, are often investigated and catalogued in secret New York Police Department intelligence files." This revelation further alienated Muslim immigrants and converts from integrating in to their desired communities by criminalizing their first amendment right to change their names, be it for a wish for assimilation or because of religious conversion.In October 2011, the AP reported that the NYPD goes as far as monitoring "Muslims who change their names to sound more traditionally American, as immigrants have done for generations, or who adopt Arabic names as a sign of their faith, are often investigated and catalogued in secret New York Police Department intelligence files." This revelation further alienated Muslim immigrants and converts from integrating in to their desired communities by criminalizing their first amendment right to change their names, be it for a wish for assimilation or because of religious conversion.
Finally, the egregious misstatements from both Commissioner Kelly and his spokesman, Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne, regarding their involvement with the Third Jihad film have left many Muslim American leaders and organizations calling for both to resign. The Third Jihad film is a production of the Clarion Fund, an organization that seeks to demonize and marginalize Muslims in America. The film is a one-sided depiction of all Muslims as warmongers seeking world domination; Muslims are plotting to take over the world, starting with the White House.Finally, the egregious misstatements from both Commissioner Kelly and his spokesman, Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne, regarding their involvement with the Third Jihad film have left many Muslim American leaders and organizations calling for both to resign. The Third Jihad film is a production of the Clarion Fund, an organization that seeks to demonize and marginalize Muslims in America. The film is a one-sided depiction of all Muslims as warmongers seeking world domination; Muslims are plotting to take over the world, starting with the White House.
This is very far from what Muslim Americans want or desire. Many fled their countries for the very freedoms this country promises. As a recent poll affirmed, Muslim Americans are conspicuously loyal to US values.This is very far from what Muslim Americans want or desire. Many fled their countries for the very freedoms this country promises. As a recent poll affirmed, Muslim Americans are conspicuously loyal to US values.
Commissioner Kelly's dismissive approach to this training scandal clearly sends the message that the NYPD will continue to do business as usual, based on bigotry and blanket suspicion of Muslim Americans. A coalition I belong to, Muslim American Civil Liberties Coalition, wrote three letters last year asking for a meeting with the commissioner – and got no answer. The level of frustration in New York's Muslim American community is very high.Commissioner Kelly's dismissive approach to this training scandal clearly sends the message that the NYPD will continue to do business as usual, based on bigotry and blanket suspicion of Muslim Americans. A coalition I belong to, Muslim American Civil Liberties Coalition, wrote three letters last year asking for a meeting with the commissioner – and got no answer. The level of frustration in New York's Muslim American community is very high.
In light of the Third Jihad scandal, we will continue to seek the removal of Commissioner Kelly and Deputy Commissioner Browne and demand a full investigation into how and why this ugly, deceitful propaganda that demonizes American Muslims was used to train our police officers. And then, we would like to see the creation of a permanent oversight mechanism for the NYPD, to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.In light of the Third Jihad scandal, we will continue to seek the removal of Commissioner Kelly and Deputy Commissioner Browne and demand a full investigation into how and why this ugly, deceitful propaganda that demonizes American Muslims was used to train our police officers. And then, we would like to see the creation of a permanent oversight mechanism for the NYPD, to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.
• Editor's note: this article originally referred to the July 2005 attempt to bomb the London underground, without making distinction between the actual 7/7 bombings of the Tube and a bus and the 21/7 attempt to bomb the underground. This was amended with a clarification on 31 January 2012 at 10am EST (3pm UK time).