Anthony Posada, Supervising Attorney of the Community Justice Unit at The Legal Aid Society, issued the following statement today in response to reporting released by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) on fare evasion arrests showing that officers are still disproportionately targeting New Yorkers of color for this basic crime of poverty:
“Despite pledges by Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York City Police Department Commissioner James O’Neill to curb racial enforcement, the NYPD, as it does with so many offenses, continues to disproportionately target communities of color for what is basically a crime of poverty. A fare evasion arrest carries with it collateral consequences that can affect employment, deny access to critical public benefits, and for immigrant New Yorkers, result in detention and possibly deportation. It has been abundantly clear for years now that the NYPD is incapable of curtailing its disparate enforcement and we urge the City to cease criminalizing poverty because the human cost is too high.”
About The Legal Aid Society
The Legal Aid Society exists for one simple yet powerful reason: to ensure that New Yorkers are not denied their right to equal justice because of poverty. For over 140 years, we have protected, defended, and advocated for those who have struggled in silence for far too long. Every day, in every borough, The Legal Aid Society changes the lives of our clients and helps improve our communities.
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