New York Cops Hit Back At Anti-Profiling Measure

New York City cops have come out swinging against a council bill that would prevent them from using little more than the color of a suspect's clothing in descriptions, or face lawsuits for profiling.

According to the New York Post, the NYPD Captains Endowment Association has issued a highly visible ad campaign on social media, in the newspapers, and in Times Square that features Union President Roy Richter wearing a blindfold. "How effective is a police officer with a blindfold on?" the ad asks.

Richter told the Post the city council proposal is dangerous because "it will ban cops from identifying a suspect's age, gender, color, or disability."

The ad says that if the proposed law passes, police officers could be sued for transmitting descriptions of suspects that go beyond the color of their clothing.

Democratic City Councilwoman Jumaane Williams offered the measure and Speaker Christine Quinn is attempting to expedite its passage on the basis that a majority of council members allegedly support it.

However, New York Public Safety Committee chair Peter Vallone Jr., a Democrat, is opposed, saying it undermines policing and is a misguided way to stop racial profiling.

"Rather than focus on unnecessary laws, the council should be supporting its police officers — not attacking them," Vallone told the Post.

"Racial profiling is already illegal—and should be."