Organizations Working on Protest Policing

Groups working on protest policing issues

New York Civil Liberties Union: The NYCLU has been a major force in challenging police misconduct. Their efforts include monitoring the CCRB, protecting the rights of demonstrators, and suing the NYPD over abusive and dangerous police practices.

United for Peace and Justice has expanded their activities around police tactics at demonstrations. You can also view their rights web page for info on on-going campaigns such as their support of actions in solidarity with imigrant communities and their opposition to the Patriot and Clear Acts.

People's Law Collective: This group of law students, activists, and non-lawyer legal workers offer advice and supoprt to groups involved in protest actions. They are a great resource for legal observing at demonstrations and providing advice on how to prepare for such activities. Thier site has lots of useful information on your rights and the legal process.

Campaign to Demilitarize the Police is a new group called together by long-time LES activist Frank Morales, who works on Covert Action Quarterly. They are organizing to put pressure on the NYPD to back away from paramilitary style crowd control tactics in advance of this summer's Republican National Convention. Their site has flyers, informational updates, and lots of links. 212.969.8045. email: demilitarizethepolice@yahoo.com.

The National Lawyers Guild is also an important source of legal advice and legal observers for political actvists.

Midnight Special Law Collective an independent non-profit organization dedicated to providing legal trainings and accessible, relevant, democratic and accountable legal support to a wide range of activists participating in the struggle for social change.

The Civilian Complaint Review Board is the official NYC agency that investigates allegations of police misconduct. While there are many flaws with the agency it is one of the few offical tools available to hold individual officers accountable for misconduct. Their web site has information on how to file a complaint.

New York City Policing Roundtable: This is a group of lawyers, academics, and community activists working together to reduce police misconduct through policy advocacy and litigation. Read their letter on "demonstration pens." They are also sponsoring the Civilian Oversight of the Police Project to assist people making CCRB complaints. For more info: AMasters@NYLPI.org.

Save Our Civil Liberties is a campaign to support those mistreated by police at the FTAA protests in Miami and demand greater police accountability. Their site has great coverage of the events in Miami, and some useful links. The militarization of th epolice is a growing part of the "War on Terror" and the rolling back of our civil liberities.

The Partnership for Civil Justice was founded by Carl Messineo and Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, experienced civil rights attorneys practicing in Washington, D.C. The Fund provides and supports exclusively charitable and educational activities that secure and advance civil rights under the law, and that work towards the elimination of discrimination and prejudice. Together with the NLG they administer the legal observer program in DC and file lawsuits about police misconduct at demonstrations.