Crown Heights Activist Heading New NYPD Hate Crime Panel

By COLlive reporter
Photos: Itzik Roytman

A new NYPD Hate Crime Review Panel was established on Monday, to ensure vigorous enforcement of hate crimes and ultimate justice for New Yorkers who are its victims.

NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot Shea announced that the chair will be Devorah Halberstam, a Crown Heights community activist for many decades, renowned anti-terrorism expert, and an Honorary Police Commissioner for the NYPD.

Four other distinguished civilian leaders have joined the panel, including Fred Teng, President of the America China Public Affairs Institute; Pia Raymond, author, professor and social worker; Ed Powell, the longtime President of the 70th Precinct Community Council; and David Warren.

Halberstam is uniquely suited to chair the panel, as a victim of crime herself. Her son Ari Halberstam was murdered by a terrorist on the Brooklyn Bridge in 1994, and she has spent her life fighting for the rights of victims of crime and their families.

The panel will be “another set of eyes and ears for the NYPD,” said Police Commissioner Shea, noting that the panel members are “thinkers and doers, longtime leaders in New York City,” who will be “seeking justice for the residents of New York.”

Collectively, the panelists represent decades of deep knowledge and vital experience. They will assess circumstances that present challenges in establishing whether a victim’s actual or perceived race, national origin, ethnicity, religion, disability or other motivating factors in possible hate crime. Their contribution will enhance the department’s work and improve service to all New Yorkers.

“Our continuing partnerships with the community remain the cornerstone of our policing philosophy,” said Police Commissioner Shea. “Whether teaming our cops up with the community to clean graffiti, partnering with esteemed advisors to reimagine policing for the 21st Century or ensuring an independent assessment of all potential hate crimes, we are always striving to make the department fairer, stronger and more effective.”

Over the last seven years, the NYPD has been forging fundamental changes in policing, including building strong relationships through Neighborhood Policing and drastically reducing the level of enforcement by focusing resources on the drivers of violence through Precision Policing. Our vision for this new panel, in the important area of ensuring that all New Yorkers can live free from bias, is part of our commitment to continuous improvement.

In her remarks, Devorah Halberstam said, “In July 2000, Governor George Pataki signed into law article 485 of the NY State penal law raising the penalties for hate crimes. ‘Hate crimes do more than threaten the safety and welfare of our citizens,’ he added. ‘They disrupt entire communities and cannot be tolerated.’

“Hate crimes are unique because they are targeted and intentional. They are purposely intended to hurt the identity of a person. Unfortunately, today we are facing nearly daily reports of hate crimes.

“We need to help stop this. Therefore, I stand here together with my colleagues who are a civilian panel of everyday citizens that look like you and me. they are your family, your friends, your next-door neighbor, or your classmates.

“We are an independent board that will assess those hate crimes that are sent to us from the hate crimes task force to review and recommend to the NYPD and the DA’s our assessment of the crime.

“We will be the voices of the victims who are often ignored or, at best, tolerated, but today there will be change. Everybody deserves to live free in this country and in this city and should not have to look over their shoulders as they walk down the street or sit on a park bench,” Halberstam said.

VIDEO: Press conference launching new NYPD Hate Crime Review Panel