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NYPD releases video showing stop of Yusef Salaam
FOX 5 NY's Jessica Formoso reports.
HARLEM, N.Y. - Councilman Yusef Salaam, one of the exonerated members of the Central Park Five, said he was stopped by police Friday night without an explanation as he was driving through Harlem with his family.
In a statement to FOX 5, the councilmember said, "I introduced myself as Councilman Yusef Salaam, and subsequently asked the officer why I was pulled over. Instead of answering my question, the officer stated, ‘We’re done here,’ and proceeded to walk away."
After making these allegations, the NYPD released the body cam video.
It shows the interaction between Salaam and the officer. We never hear Salaam asking the officer why he was stopped.
In the video, you hear the officer state his name. "I’m Council member Salaam," Salaam said, "Oh, Councilmember," replied the officer. "District 9," said Salaam.
The officer said, "Oh, OK. Have a good one, ending with "Take care, sir."
According to the police report, the basis for the stop a vehicle and traffic law infraction.
The officers pulled over Salaam's blue sedan with Georgia plates for driving with dark-tinted windows beyond legal limits, a violation of New York State law.
The NYPD said in a statement:
"The officer approached the vehicle, identified himself, and asked the driver to roll down his windows. The driver complied and identified himself as New York City Councilmember Yusef Salaam, performing official duties, at which point the officer advised him to have a good night. This entire account is corroborated by body-worn camera footage and the vehicle report."
"As the video shows, throughout this interaction, the officer conducted himself professionally and respectfully. He followed all proper procedures, including procedures that were put in place after Detective Russel Timoshenko was shot and killed through tinted windows in 2007. This officer should be commended for his polite, professional, and respectful conduct and for using his discretion appropriately so the councilmember could complete his official duties," the NYPD said.
Salaam, who was recently named chairman of the city council’s public safety committee, was supposed to attend tonight's NYPD ride-along with other city council members to understand and learn how police officers deal with the public.
This comes as the city council is set to override Mayor Adams veto on the "How Many Stops Act", a bill that would require officers to document every interaction they have with New Yorkers.