I am writing to urge you to reject Mayor Adams’ shameful veto of Intro. 586 of the How Many Stops Act and vote yes to override it for the safety Black, Latine, and other New Yorkers of color.

As a constituent in your district, I am deeply concerned with the rise of unconstitutional stop and frisk, increased police misconduct, and the lack of police accountability, which has only worsened under Mayor Adams. In this context, the How Many Stops Act is an essential common-sense measure that will help to address the NYPD’s chronic underreporting of stops, ensure stops are only being made with the proper legal justification, and enable advocates and policy-makers to advance evidenced-based public safety measures.

Contrary to the misinformation campaign being waged by the mayor, police unions, and NYPD, HMSA reporting requires mere seconds for officers and is simple to implement for the Department.

The mayor’s veto is an attempt to shield abusive police practices from public scrutiny. When the vast majority of the unconstitutional stops are of Black and Latine people, transparency regarding where, why, and key demographic information about who the NYPD is targeting for its most common police actions is urgently needed.

I urge you to vote to override the Mayor’s veto of this crucial piece of legislation.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Dear Mayor Adams,

As a resident of New York City, I am outraged by your veto of Intro 586 of the How Many Stops Act. We know that unconstitutional stops have the potential to lead to harassment, harm, or, at worse, deaths of New Yorkers, like in the case of Eric Garner and Antonio Williams. When the vast majority of the unconstitutional stops are of Black and Latine people, transparency regarding where, why, and key demographic information about who the NYPD is targeting for its most common police actions is urgently needed.

Contrary to the misinformation being spread about this bill, the How Many Stops Act is an easy-to-implement, common-sense measure that can be completed by officers in a matter of seconds on their Department-issued cell phones, not via mountains of paperwork, as your administration has pushed.

Before taking office, you had committed to holding abusive cops accountable and ensuring greater transparency for the public. By vetoing the How Many Stops Act, you have broken these promises. Your veto is a betrayal of our city that prioritizes shielding the NYPD’s abusive practices from public scrutiny over New Yorkers’ safety.

Sincerely,