August 23, 2013
By Stephanie West
New York, NY – 32BJ SEIU, congratulated the City Council, especially Speaker Christine Quinn and sponsor Councilman Jumaane Williams, on the successful override of Mayor Bloomberg’s veto of the Community Safety Act. “This is a historic day, and a turning point in the relationship between the New York Police Department and the communities it serves,” 32BJ President Hector Figueroa said.
“This is a deeply personal issue for our members and their families, many of whom have suffered first-hand the humiliation and violation of baseless stop-and-frisk incidents.”
Figueroa said the union, in partnership with Communities United for Police Reform, has worked closely with Speaker Quinn to bring about this victory for civil rights.
“Throughout the process, we have found in Speaker Quinn a committed and passionate leader who has been focused on passage of effective legislation to protect the rights of all New Yorkers, without undermining our police officers,” Figueroa said. “As Speaker, she has demonstrated she knows the difference between leadership and pandering and the difference between compromise and flip flopping.”
The Act is comprised of two bills – the first establishing an Inspector General, which Quinn supports, and the second tightening racial profiling laws, which Quinn opposes on the grounds that racial profiling already is illegal. So her leadership in bringing both bills first to a vote of the council, and today to an override vote, demonstrates her commitment to open and honest city government.
“Today’s override votes are truly an impressive achievement and the latest in a series of progressive measures by the City Council that define New York as a leading progressive force nationally,” Figueroa said.
