**NYPD Neighborhood Safety Teams Accused of Unlawful Stops: Federal Monitor Report Raises Concerns for Civil Liberties**
Last year, the New York Police Department’s Neighborhood Safety Teams (NST) were found to conduct a high percentage of unconstitutional stops, as stated in a new report from the federal monitor. The report reveals that nearly 25% of the 184 encounters during the second quarter of 2022 had no reasonable cause, raising serious concerns for individual liberties.
NST units, originally launched to combat gun crime, were announced by Democratic Mayor Eric Adams to replace the controversial anti-crime units disbanded by former Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2020. Despite new training measures, the federal monitor’s report detailed a troubling pattern – 97% of the civilians stopped by NST officers were black or Hispanic, with very few stops resulting in the recovery of weapons or contraband.
Federal monitor Mylan Denerstein criticized the NYPD for its lack of oversight and stressed the importance of holding officers accountable. In an effort to ensure compliance, the report mandates the NYPD to improve training and oversight within 30 days. In light of the findings, the federal monitor also plans to conduct a more comprehensive audit.
A spokesperson for the NYPD contested the audit’s findings, arguing that the NST units engaged with the public in a lawful manner and contributed to the reduction of shootings and homicides in the city. Mayor Adams’ office also questioned the report’s
