Squadron, Mosley Announce Retail Anti-Profiling Act

Legislation Would Open Black Box of NYPD Policing at Private Businesses, Including Use of Racial Profiling

Squadron-Mosley Bill Would Also End MOU Requiring NYCHA to Pay $74 Million a Year for "Additional Police Services"

NEW YORK -- Today, State Senator Daniel Squadron and Assemblyman Walter Mosley announced the Retail Anti-Profiling Act, which would require transparency on additional policing provided to private businesses by the New York City Police Department -- such as the NYPD's role in potential racial profiling at Barneys and Macy's -- and end the 1994 MOU under which the New York City Housing Authority is charged for "additional police services."

The legislation follows accusations of racial profiling against Barneys and Macy's by a number of customers; the customers were stopped by NYPD officers.

Squadron and Mosley's Retail Anti-Profiling Act would:

• Require transparency on "additional policing" provided to private businesses by the NYPD. The bill would require that the City provide information on all agreements to provide additional policing -- including through the Paid Detail Unit, an NYPD division that provides off-duty police personnel in uniform to private companies for an hourly fee. The City would be required to annually report what these services cost the NYPD and the recipients, the services provided, and the policies for off-duty personnel in uniform providing additional police services (e.g. on the use of racial profiling).
   

• End the 1994 memorandum of understanding under which NYCHA is charged over $70 million a year for "additional police services." Public housing residents should not have to essentially pay double for policing, while Barneys and Macy's apparently have additional NYPD personnel in their stores, under ambiguous, non-transparent policies.

"It's time to open the black box that's NYPD policing at private businesses," said Senator Squadron. "Profiling in any circumstance is deeply unacceptable -- and it's particularly disturbing when we don't even know the NYPD's role or policies in Barneys, Macy's, or countless businesses around our city. Meanwhile, NYCHA residents are essentially forced to pay double for policing, while these businesses seemingly have NYPD personnel in their stores under policies shrouded in secrecy. The Retail Anti-Profiling Act would bring much-needed transparency to the NYPD while finally ending this inequitable NYCHA MOU."

"We cannot allow the recent and disturbing cases of racial profiling in Macy’s and Barneys to become the new normal in New York City stores. The Retail Anti-Profiling Act will bring additional transparency and accountability to the NYPD and help us better understand the vaguely defined relationship between retailers and our city’s police force. I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Squadron and my colleagues in the legislature to make sure this unconstitutional profiling comes to an immediate end," said Assemblyman Mosley.

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