New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio Hasn't Kept Promise to Reduce Arrests for Low-Level Drug Possession
A look at Mayor Bill de Blasio's mayoral record has revealed no change in the practice of New York police arresting individuals for low-level possession of marijuana.
An advocacy group for drug policies has analyzed the income level and race of many of those arrested since 2013 and has attacked de Blasio for allowing more arrests in March through August, compared to his predecessor, for minorities and lower income individuals.
This contrasts with his campaign promise to reduce those arrests.
The report, compiled from data by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services and released by the Drug Policy Alliance Monday, stated, "Most of those arrested are young men of color, even though young white men use marijuana at higher rates."
Police have arrested more blacks and Latinos than other groups, including whites, and have increased the number of arrests across the board.
Police numbers under former mayor Michael Bloomberg totaled 14,847 arrests for marijuana possession over the six-month period in 2013, of which only 1,995 were white and others. A majority of the arrests were blacks and Latinos, according to the report.
By comparison, under de Blasio, there have already been 15,324, of which 13,212 were blacks or Latinos.
A prior study by the same group revealed similar numbers, showing that de Blasio was on track to at least match the number of arrests of Bloomberg's administration after the first four months.
De Blasio had said he wanted a change from Bloomberg and his campaign site, which no longer exists, was cited by Celebstoner in 2013.
"(I) will ensure cases of marijuana found through police stops are treated as possession, not public displays," de Blasio said on his website, Celebstoner reported. "Low-level marijuana possession arrests have disastrous consequences for individuals and their families."
He was even quoted on a radio show, reported by Capital New York.
"I want a law passed in Albany that would end it and I would instruct the NYPD right now [to] stop arresting people for displays of small amounts. It's ridiculous. It doesn't make us safer," de Blasio said.
It appears that instruction has not yet been delivered to the NYPD.
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