Caribbean American Legislators in N.Y. Oppose Racial Profiling

NEW YORK – Haitian American legislator Rodneyse Bichotte late last month reintroduced a bill in the New York State Assembly she says will help prevent racial profiling by increasing data collection and reporting standards.

The bill from the Democratic assemblywoman came as the Caribbean community here expresses outrage over what is described as the disproportionate and discriminatory arrest of blacks and other people of color over social distancing amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Bichotte is the chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party and daughter of Haitian immigrants. She told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that current legislation does not provide adequate rules for tracking and reporting of racial profiling.

Bichotte, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn, also said guidelines that would give the public transparency are lacking. She pointed to a leaked New York Police Department (NYPD) report that states 90 percent of the people arrested for coronavirus-related crimes between Mar. 16 and May 5 were black or Hispanic.

The report also states 81 percent of people who received summonses for violating social distancing rules, during the same time period, were black or Hispanic.

NEIGHBORS

“I know who the heroes of this crisis are, because they are my neighbors,” said Bichotte, whose Brooklyn district comprises parts of Flatbush, Midwood and Ditmas Park.

“My district is home to many essential workers. They are the people caring for our loved ones who are sick, making sure our grocery stores are stocked and that public transit is operational.“Williams, J.”

“Unfortunately, they are also the people succumbing to the virus at rates much higher than the general population, losing wages and facing food insecurities. The last thing they, or anyone else, deserves is to be discriminated against by law enforcement. Our heroes should be praised, not punished.”

Bichotte said the bill,  which she has re-introduced and another piece of legislation, re-introduced on the by Democratic Senator Brian A. Benjamin, would “create a tangible way for our state to prevent and track these violations, and an avenue for remedies for anyone whose civil rights are determined to have been violated.

“The pandemic has led to discriminatory practices by police and ratcheted community tensions. New Yorkers are begging for relief from racial discrimination by law enforcement.

“The same community is simultaneously facing another problem in the face of the coronavirus pandemic,” added Bichotte, alluding to New York City Health Department data that show that neighborhoods with high populations of black and latino residents suffer the highest death rate.

LOSS

“Communities already plagued with devastating loss cannot bear an additional weight, that which is added when police patrol black neighborhoods, making social distancing arrests and issuing summons, while, in white neighbourhoods across New York City, officers hand out masks to people out socializing,” she said.

Benjamin, chairman of the New York Senate’s Committee on Revenue and Budget said that “communities of color are on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19 as essential workers, and we are also dealing with a disproportionate number of deaths and infections in our neighborhoods and families.

“We cannot allow our law enforcement officers to add additional stress and trauma in this time with an unfair double standard for the enforcement of social distancing rules,” said Benjamin, the son of Caribbean immigrants, who serves as the senior assistant majority leader of the Senate.

“Perry, Nick “The bill that Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte and I have introduced will prohibit law enforcement officers from engaging in racial or ethnic profiling to help ensure we have one system of enforcement for our city and state,” added Benjamin.

‘RELIEVED’

Last week, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams, son of Grenadian immigrants, said he was “relieved” New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio announced a revised approach to social distancing over racial disparity amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The mayor said the revised enforcement will limit summonses after data showed deep racial disparities in enforcement and cases of aggressive over-policing surfaced.

“After more than a month of pressure from our office and many others, I’m relieved that the administration is acting to reduce the unequal over policing in social distancing enforcement that we predicted, warned against, and offered alternatives to,” Williams said.

“More masks and fewer summonses are definitely a positive step. It is also heartening to hear that this effort will begin to push education as the integral tool to compliance. It will mean fewer summonses, fewer arrests, and, thankfully, for the administration, fewer viral videos,” he added.

Last month, a Jamaican-born legislator in Brooklyn called on his legislative colleagues, and all New Yorkers, to join him in his push to pass the “Right to Monitor Act” (A.1360) that would codify into law the right of all New Yorkers to record police activity throughout New York State.

New York State Assemblyman Nick Perry, who represents the largely Caribbean 58th Assembly District in Brooklyn, said that “a quick scan of social media in the past week will highlight the benefit and great need for New Yorkers to feel assured that they, indeed, have a right to monitor and record police arrests and activity occurring in public places.”