'Huge pain in the ass': NYPD officers required to file reports for every 'low-level' encounter

NEW YORK, NY - A brand new city law in New York is poised to create a mountain of paperwork for rank-and-file police officers and the cops walking the beat are not pleased. The so-called “How Many Stops Act” now requires officers to file a report on any and all low-level investigative stops they conduct effective July 1st.

As reported by The New York Post, the new regulatory burden on the NYPD has not gone over well with the officers with one law enforcement source telling the outlet the new requirement is “A huge pain in the ass.”

The law was passed by the City Council in January over a veto from former NYPD Officer, Mayor Eric Adams. Officials at One Police Plaza, and senior union leaders expressed serious concern that the new paperwork would hurt the force’s effectiveness.

Harlem NYC.
The NYPD and NYC Mayor, along with some city council members, went on a ride along to show how the "How many stop act " will affect police work. The @NYCMayor, who's also a retired NYPD officers explained how he thinks this bill will affect police work
🎥… pic.twitter.com/DBzVkZpGyp

— Viral News NYC (@ViralNewsNYC) January 28, 2024

Adams told 1010 WINS, “We need our officers on patrol, not doing paperwork, but it’s the law, and we must follow the law.”

DEA President Paul DiGiacomo was at City Hall today with dozens of community leaders to speak out against the disastrous “How Many Stops Act.” pic.twitter.com/Woee6LOmDd

— Detectives' Endowment Association (@NYCPDDEA) January 19, 2024

The Detective’s Endowment Association President Paul DiGiacomo stressed in January, “Public safety is very important to the survival of New York City. And if New York City Detectives can’t do their jobs effectively and investigate these shootings, these high-impact crimes that are happening throughout the City of New York and are being tied up with paperwork it’s going to be counterproductive to the safety of the people of this city.”

To contend with the massive reporting burden, NYPD officials said the new reports will be filed via smartphone. “Officers will be using forms on their smartphones to track the required data, which will be aggregated and made public on a quarterly basis,” an NYPD spokesperson said.

Documentation obtained by the Post explained that the uniformed officers will now document their “aggregate number” of “level 1” encounters in which they request information from people at the end of each shift.

This reporting would not apply to “level 2” encounters during which officers request search consent or make accusing inquiries. Individual reports are required for all higher level encounters with the public. However, “casual” encounters with the public are not to be reported unless an officer develops reason to collect information or suspect a crime.

The order document clarifies, “An investigative encounter does not include a casual conversation between a member of the Department and a member of the public.”

Many officers expressed serious concerns over the new policy, in particular noting that they must report the “apparent” race or ethnicity of the people the speak to, which presents a whole host of potential pitfalls.

“One of the most racist things you can ask a cop to do is assume someone’s race based on their appearance,” a source who spoke anonymously to the Post said. “Who are we to assume someone’s race?”

The source warned that the reports are designed to gather fodder for the Civilian Complaint Review Board and NYPD critics on the City Council, saying, “This is really designed for CCRB to use against [the police department] to articulate some sort of bias. The Council will likely weaponize this data.”