\u201cI enthusiastically applaud Governor Cuomo for taking action to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana in public view.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTens of thousands of lives a year are permanently damaged as a result of the current law, with communities of color disproportionately affected. The fact of the matter is that Black and Latino men are the most likely to be stopped, questioned and frisked and are then ordered to empty their pockets during these encounters. Low level arrests for marijuana can have devastating life-long consequences. After an arrest, individuals can face unemployment, loss of housing for themselves and their families, rejection from colleges and universities and an inability to secure school loans.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Governor\u2019s action today is an important step forward, and will avoid further devastation of young New Yorker\u2019s futures. I urge the legislature to act on this proposal quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat said, the NYPD, Mayor, and City Council have more work to do to reform stop and frisk policies. I strongly believe that broad based reforms are needed in training, monitoring, supervision, transparency and accountability. These changes must occur as soon as possible to reduce the unacceptable number of stops and heal the divide between the NYPD and the communities they serve.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that we can both keep crime at its historic low and protect the civil rights of all New Yorkers. That must be our commitment to the people of New York City.\u201d<\/p>\n
###<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cI enthusiastically applaud Governor Cuomo for taking action to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana in public view.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTens of thousands of lives a year are permanently damaged as a result of the current law, with communities of color disproportionately affected. The fact of the matter is that Black and Latino men are the most likely to be stopped, questioned and frisked and are then ordered to empty their pockets during these encounters.<\/p>\n
…<\/p>\n