PRBA Press Release: PRBA Urges Governor To Protect Privacy of Innocent New Yorkers
07.12.10
The Puerto Rican Bar Association Urges Governor Paterson to Sign Bill Protecting Privacy of Innocent New Yorkers
The Puerto Rican Bar Association Urges Governor Paterson to Sign Bill Protecting Privacy of Innocent New Yorkers
(New York, NY) Today the following statement was issued by the Puerto
Rican Bar Association ("PRBA") urging NYS Governor David Paterson to
sign a bill that would prohibit the New York City Police Department from
entering into an electronic database the personal information of
individuals who have been stopped by police and released without any
further legal action.
"The Puerto Rican Bar Association Board of Directors (PRBA) is calling
on the Governor to sign this legislation in order to protect the privacy
of innocent law abiding individuals, who were stopped, and frisked by
police, often times as a result of racial profiling. We believe that
keeping a database for future use of law enforcement techniques, of
innocent people who in many instances were racially profiled compounds
the egregious problem of racial profiling in New York City. The
disproportionate number of Latinos and Blacks being stopped and frisked
in New York City, who were found to have committed no crimes, clearly
indicates, that in many instances their ethnicity or color was a major
factor in such search and frisk stops. The PRBA Board of Directors
believes that the Governor's decision to sign this legislation into law
will serve as a signal to police departments everywhere that the 4th
Amendments rights of our citizens will be guaranteed, regardless of a
person's background, ethnicity or color," stated Roberto Ramirez, Chair
of the Legislative Committee and Former PRBA President on behalf of the
PRBA Board of Directors.
Legislative Bills: Assembly bill # A11177, Sponsored by Assemblyman
Hakeem Jeffries / Senate S7945, Sponsored by Senator Eric Adams.
Rican Bar Association ("PRBA") urging NYS Governor David Paterson to
sign a bill that would prohibit the New York City Police Department from
entering into an electronic database the personal information of
individuals who have been stopped by police and released without any
further legal action.
"The Puerto Rican Bar Association Board of Directors (PRBA) is calling
on the Governor to sign this legislation in order to protect the privacy
of innocent law abiding individuals, who were stopped, and frisked by
police, often times as a result of racial profiling. We believe that
keeping a database for future use of law enforcement techniques, of
innocent people who in many instances were racially profiled compounds
the egregious problem of racial profiling in New York City. The
disproportionate number of Latinos and Blacks being stopped and frisked
in New York City, who were found to have committed no crimes, clearly
indicates, that in many instances their ethnicity or color was a major
factor in such search and frisk stops. The PRBA Board of Directors
believes that the Governor's decision to sign this legislation into law
will serve as a signal to police departments everywhere that the 4th
Amendments rights of our citizens will be guaranteed, regardless of a
person's background, ethnicity or color," stated Roberto Ramirez, Chair
of the Legislative Committee and Former PRBA President on behalf of the
PRBA Board of Directors.
Legislative Bills: Assembly bill # A11177, Sponsored by Assemblyman
Hakeem Jeffries / Senate S7945, Sponsored by Senator Eric Adams.
The PRBA thanks its top sponsors >>
