The Interfaith Center of New York commends the New York Police Department and Commissioner Bratton for their decision to close the Zone Assessment Unit. As an organization working with New York City’s diverse religious communities, we have been especially concerned about the breakdown of cooperation and trust between the NYPD and New York’s Muslim community. While police departments may collect demographic data that helps assess threats, the scope of NYPD mapping and intrusion into mosques and cultural spaces without reasonable cause for suspicion has clearly infringed on Muslims’ Fourteenth and Fourth Amendment rights. The large toll of such practices on individuals and organizations must be underscored and attended to. Police and community ultimately need one another to accomplish the mission of a police department- to keep the city safe. We applaud this critical first step in restoring good will and look forward to the NYPD’s ongoing reassessment and reform of additional policies and practices to not only rebuild collaboration but ensure the protection Americans’ collective Constitutional rights.
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