City Council's 'How Many Stops Act' faces potential veto showdown with Mayor Adams
NEW YORK - Mayor Adams used the arrest of the accused serial stabber as a prime example of why the City Council's bill called the "How Many Stops Act" would impede a quick arrest.
"If this bill was to go into law, it could have a major impact on the ability of officers swiftly bringing someone to justice," Adams said.
The Mayor and NYPD do not want officers wasting those seconds collecting basic information about every person they talk to during an investigation.
The bill requires officers to document the person's age, gender, race, why police stopped the person, and did the stop rise to an even higher level stop.
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Queens serial stabbing suspect arrested, charged; at least 5 injured
A suspect, identified as 27-year-old Jermain Rigueur, was arrested in connection with a stabbing spree that left at least five people injured in just over a week in Queens, the NYPD said.
"We were able to get camera footage by knocking on doors, interacting with over a thousand people," Adams said. "I don't want our officers to spend a substantial amount of time filling out paperwork when I need them to do police work and swiftly bring someone to justice."
New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams sponsored the "How Many Stops Act" and said the Mayor and NYPD are fearmongering.
"What I'm hearing is beyond the pale of anything logical. It is asinine and insane," Williams said.
The goal of the bill is to determine if people of color are being stopped disproportionately by police.
Williams says the Mayor linking the bill to the serial stabber case is meant to intentionally mislead the public.
"I have never seen this amount of deceptive practices and deception and misinformation in all my years," Williams said.
The City Council has already passed the "How Many Stops Act" and has enough votes to override a veto if the Mayor decides to veto it.