NYPD Adopts New Guidelines For Disciplining Officer Misconduct; Mayor De Blasio Says It's A 'Game Changer'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio calls it a big step forward for transparency in policing.
The NYPD has adopted new guidelines for disciplining officer misconduct, CBS2's Natalie Duddridge reported Thursday.
"This is a game changer," de Blasio said.
The mayor showed off a 57-page document titled the "NYPD Disciplinary System Penalty Guidelines," or more simply the "Matrix."
FLASHBACK: NYPD Unveils New Disciplinary Matrix For Officers Accused Of Violating Department Policies
It lists offenses officers could potentially be penalized for if found guilty.
"You go to page 23. Here's chokeholds; here is the penalty: termination. It's just abundantly clear," de Blasio said.
In another example, if an officer is convicted of "hate speech," again termination.
"After what we saw happen at the U.S. Capitol, the bottom line is there's no place for people like that in the NYPD," de Blasio said.
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Last week, a lawsuit was filed by state Attorney General Letitia James alleging the NYPD has a longstanding pattern of abuse of excessive force.
The Civilian Complaint Review Board, the city's independent watch dog agency, hopes the new policy leads to greater accountability.
"To improve the relationship between police and community, increasing trust," CCRB chair Rev. Frank Davie said.
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Davie said there's a second document that goes with The Matrix called the "Memorandum of Understanding." It's signed by the NYPD, affirming it agrees to follow the guidelines.
But notably absent from Thursday's announcement was Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. He tested positive for COVID-19 two weeks ago, but has done virtual interviews since.
The NYPD did however issue a statement saying, "This Matrix comes at a pivotal moment. It continues the work the NYPD has been engaged in over the past seven years to adopt a series of significant reforms."
However, there still may be exceptions to the Matrix, said Darrin Porcher, a former NYPD lieutenant and current criminal justice professor at Pace University.
"The recent Matrix introduced is not overall binding. When I say not overall binding, it's going to be gauged on a case-by-case basis. Some instances may not appear to have an egregious act that was committed," Porcher said.
Some police reform advocates argue the NYPD still has too much power, and the focus needs to remain on proactively training officers, rather than reactively enforcing penalties.
CBS2's Natalie Duddridge contributed to this report
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