Police Commissioner Sewell defends decision not to attend NYC Council hearing on Strategic Response Team

Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell on Friday defended the absence of NYPD leadership at a City Council hearing over the department’s controversial riot control unit accused of excessive force and other misconduct during anti-George Floyd protests.

Sewell said the NYPD could not testify Wednesday because “we are mediating this case and have signed a confidential agreement so we will not be able to talk about the facts of this case.”

Sewall was referring to the June 4, 2020 protest in Mott Haven, Bronx, in which officers from the NYPD’s Strategic Response Team were accused of “crushing” protesters – preventing them from leaving and then arresting – and beating some of them with their clubs. clubs.

Police Commissioner Kichant Sewell

On Tuesday, the day before the hearing, the city agreed to pay $21,500 to each of the more than 300 protesters over the incident, costing taxpayers up to $6 million. Other lawsuits involving the Strategic Response Team are pending.

Asked if the NYPD could attend the hearing and answer general questions about the SRG, Sewell doubled down on his stance.

“We are not allowed to talk about any aspect of the case during the negotiations,” she said. “But we hope to be able to do so in the future, when appropriate.”

On the day of the hearing, the NYPD produced an affidavit from its director of legislative affairs, Michael Clarke, who cited the same “confidentiality agreement.”

People attend a rally ahead of the city council's oversight hearing at City Hall on March 1, 2023 in New York City.

City Council members exploded in anger, threatened to cut funding for the NYPD, and promised to use subpoena powers to force the cops to show up if they didn’t show up again.

Later that day, the police said in a separate statement that “the court issued a non-disclosure order ordering confidentiality in this matter.”

But the Civil Liberties Union of New York believes that such an order does not exist. On Thursday, he asked the city’s legal department to review the non-disclosure order or correct himself if there is no such order. He received no answer.

“The NYPD is using the settlement talks as a smokescreen to answer their oversight agency’s questions about widespread abuse,” said Molly Bicklen, NYCLU deputy legal director. “New Yorkers are still waiting for the SRG to answer for their behavior.”

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