Victims’ families – including those of Eric Garner, Antonio Williams, Amadou Diallo and Sean Bell – argued in a letter to Adams that increasing reporting standards may discourage officers from participating in low-level stops and harassing New Yorkers for unconstitutional reasons. “Some of our loved ones, like Eric Garner and Antonio Williams, were killed during unconstitutional stops — the very encounters HMSA will illuminate,” the letter read.
The letter was signed by Garner’s mom, Gwen Carr, Williams’ stepmother and father, Gladys Williams and Shawn Williams and more. They continued saying HMSA is the first step toward the changes they want. Knowing how often the stops occur and if there is racial motivation behind them, the families say, will prevent more from suffering with similar circumstances.
“The How Many Stops Act is not the only change we need, but by shedding light on all stops — including how often and where they happen and if they are motivated by racial profiling — it will enable us to work together toward eradicating unnecessary and unconstitutional policing and ultimately prevent others families from suffering as we do.”
Source: Black Enterprise
