Independent Agency Gets New Powers to Prosecute New York Police Officers

[alp227]

Source: NY Times

Lawyers for the independent agency that investigates allegations of police abuse in New York have been given wide new powers to prosecute officers in misconduct cases under an agreement city officials reached on Tuesday.

The changes follow a period in which the Police Department has withstood an onslaught of corruption cases and increased scrutiny on several fronts, including its surveillance and stop-and-frisk practices, the integrity of its crime data and its use of force in policing Occupy Wall Street protests.

Details of the agreement were contained in a memorandum signed on Tuesday by the department and the independent oversight agency, the Civilian Complaint Review Board.

The changes are intended to shine light on a police disciplinary process that critics have long said is murky and secretive.

Read more: www.nytimes.com/2012/03/28/nyregion/civilian-complaint-review-board-gets-new-powers-to-prosecute-new-york-police.html?pagewanted=all

[saras]

1. Yee-HAH! They may do nothing, but the fact that they were even given the power is a big blow.

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. This is a step in the right direction. NYPD needs to be reined in...

...for oh so many reasons.

Google Ramarley Graham for starters.

Google stop and frisk.

Google NYPD marijuana arrests.

Then there's the spying on students all over the Northeast.

Then there's OWS.

Then there's the constant stream of corruption cases.

And that's just a start.