Stonewalled – Still Demanding Respect!
AI's Campaign to End Police Brutality Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People in the U.S.

New York City Profile

New York City, scene of the Stonewall riots 37 years ago, has made great strides in recognizing and protecting the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. This includes adopting laws against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in basic areas of life, such as employment, housing and education. New York City's "hate crime" laws (laws covering crimes motivated by discrimination) include both sexual orientation and gender identity. New York City has made improvement in police relations with the local LGBT community but as Amnesty International's research shows, police abuse and misconduct against LGBT people remains a serious and widespread problem.

Reports to Amnesty International indicate a pattern of profiling of transgender women as sex workers; abuses during arrest and searches and detention of LGBT people, particularly ethnic or racial minority LGBT people. Amnesty International's research also revealed discriminatory enforcement of "quality of life" ordinances designed to create public order by aggressively enforcing laws against minor offences, for example, public drunkenness, loitering, vandalism, littering or public urination. NYPD particularly target LGBT youth and transgender ethnic and racial minority individuals in the implementation of these ordinances in West Village, the site of the historic Stonewall riots, and a neighbourhood which has traditionally provided safe space for LGBT individuals.

Recent Developments

AI has continued to receive reports of discriminatory enforcement of "quality of life" ordinances against LGBT youth and transgender people in the West Village neighbourhood.

TAKE ACTION!

Write to the authorities. In all your letters, please include the following key messages:

• LGBT people in the USA continue to suffer serious police abuses, in some cases amounting to torture or other ill-treatment.
• Within the LGBT community, transgender people, members of ethnic or racial minorities, young people and immigrants bear the brunt of police abuse. The climate of prejudice which LGBT people face in the USA means that many of these abuses continue to go unpunished.
• Despite some positive initiatives by law enforcement agencies and the justice system, much more needs to be done to protect LGBT people from police abuse and misconduct.

In addition, the following points should be included in letters to the New York Police Department and City Mayor:

To Raymond W Kelly, Commissioner, New York Police Department (NYPD)
Urge him to:

• Take necessary steps to ensure that "quality of life" enforcement and policing practices are not discriminatory, particularly against young LGBT individuals, racial and ethnic minority LGBT people and transgender individuals.
• Institute specific policies and procedures regarding police interaction with, strip searches and detention of transgender individuals, addressing the relevant concerns raised in Amnesty International's report.

To Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City – Urge him to:

• As the highest elected official in the City of New York, please do all within your power to ensure that New York Police Department respect the human rights of all city residents including New York's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents.
• Take steps to ensure that all cases of alleged police abuse are investigated and that perpetrators of such abuses are brought to justice.
• Ensure that the Police Department and other city departments and agencies review the recommendations made in Amnesty International's report and make all necessary changes in policies and practices.

ADDRESSES

Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly
New York Police Department
1 Police Plaza
Police Headquarters
New York, NY 10038
USA
F: (646) 610-5865
Email: pcoffice@nypd.org
Salutation: Dear Commissioner Kelly

Mayor Michael Bloomberg
City Hall
New York NY 10007
USA
F: (212) 788-2460
Email via: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html
Salutation: Dear Mayor Bloomberg

COPIES TO the New York Gay Officers Action League (GOAL):
George Farrugia, President
GOAL – New York – Region 1
P.O. Box 1774 Old Chelsea Station
New York, NY 10113
USA
Email: president@goalny.org
Salutation: Dear President