New York
Related: About this forumUnder Mayor De Blasio Marijuana Arrests are More Frequent Than Bloomberg and Guiliani.
Jeremy Pasker
Despite Mayor De Blasio's "liberal agenda", in his first five months in office he has arrested more people per month than former Mayors Bloomberg and Giuliani. The NYPD has arrested an average 80 people a month, 86 percent of those were either Black or Latino.
Even though marijuana decriminalization laws have been repeatedly been introduced since the 70's, the arrests keep increasing. In 1994, under NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton, who is now in office again, cannibus arrests never averaged higher than 16 per month. Recently the New York City Council had discussed decriminalization during talks about the proposed NYPD budget.
Back on May 20 Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, addressed the media after the hearing ended. Let me be clear: at the state level, since the 1970s, for small quantities, its been decriminalized, the Council Speaker said. My hope is that this is the next major policy change under the NYPD so we can curtail the number of African American and Latino youth that are being criminalized.
http://amsterdamnews.com/news/2014/jun/11/mayor-de-blasio-nypd-and-their-record-breaking-mar/
The_Commonist
(2,518 posts)They're doing this to show that he will not be able to control them. There are other examples. Stop and Frisk is up too.
DeBlasio is going to have to kick NYPD's ass, if he doesn't agree with these policies. Of course, that remains to be seen.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)Are you saying thatbthis is a recent uptick?
I see your point on the police. I don't think Bratton is in on it but I would not be surprised if lower level people are doing it on purpose.
The_Commonist
(2,518 posts)...and of course, I could be wrong.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)past few weeks. That is likely it.