The Metropolis Council plans to ram by way of a controversial invoice giving the NYPD’s civilian watchdog direct entry to body-worn digicam footage — regardless of cops ripping it as an “pointless” energy seize, The Put up has realized.
Outgoing Council Speaker Adrienne Adams might be placing the first-of-its-kind legislation up for a vote by the complete 51-member physique subsequent week, whereas privately boasting to members that will probably be a part of her “legacy,” insiders stated.
The invoice — launched by Adams and co-sponsored by a slate of leftie lawmakers, together with Democratic Socialists of America council members Tiffany Caban and Shahana Hanif — would give the Civilian Grievance Evaluate Board real-time entry to the NYPD servers storing police movies.
The police division’s largest union railed that the legislation would proceed to drive cops off the job by placing officers within the crosshairs of a CCRB emboldened by the brand new expanded powers.
“Council members want to grasp the message they’re sending to the cops of their neighborhood,” Police Benevolent Affiliation President Patrick Hendry stated Wednesday.
“The unfairness at CCRB is already a significant factor driving cops away from this job,” he stated. “By pushing this pointless and legally unfeasible invoice to grant CCRB much more energy, the Council is definitely pushing extra devoted, gifted cops out the door.”
The PBA and the council members against the invoice argue it may really violate state legislation, citing the Clear Slate Act, which bars authorities from handing over troves of felony case proof after a sure time period or if the costs had been dismissed.
“This harmful CCRB invoice would drive the NYPD at hand over sealed body-cam footage in clear violation of state legislation, blowing up privateness protections and due course of,” railed average Democratic Councilman Bob Holden (Queens-District 30).
“As an alternative of backing our cops, the Council is pandering to an anti-police board and placing public security in danger,” stated Holden, who’s term-limited and can go away workplace on the finish of the yr.
Investigators on the impartial oversight company at the moment must request footage from the police division, and the NYPD opinions the video earlier than handing it over.
The CCRB has lengthy griped that the NYPD has dragged its ft on a lot of these requests, notably when the company was probing complaints in opposition to cops through the George Floyd protests in 2020.
Supporters of the invoice argue it’ll increase police transparency and pace up investigation instances for the CCRB, which may convey disciplinary circumstances in opposition to cops accused of wrongdoing.
Roughly a dozen council members, together with the six Republicans, are against the measure, per The Put up’s depend.
However it’s nonetheless anticipated to move when members vote on it Dec. 18, sources stated.
Mayor Eric Adams, no relation to the council speaker, didn’t say whether or not he would attempt to veto the invoice ought to it move earlier than he leaves workplace on the finish of the yr.
Even when it was nixed by the mayor, the incoming council subsequent yr may nonetheless transfer to override the veto.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who takes workplace Jan. 1, 2026, hasn’t stated whether or not he backs the invoice, however has beforehand argued for expanded powers for the CCRB.
The town’s Workplace of Administration and Finances stated the measure would include a $10 million price ticket for the software program and {hardware} essential to set the watchdog company up with actual time entry to the footage.
The associated fee may balloon even greater, with OMB anticipating a brand new unit might be wanted to handle the information being collected. The council, nevertheless, wrote in a fiscal influence abstract that it believes the NYPD’s current unit may deal with such duties.
A council spokesperson stated that “all payments will adjust to state legislation” and that there can be a two-year runway to create the software program programs.
