Floyd v. The City of New York
- Analisa Torres
- 1:08-cv-01034
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 3
In Floyd v. City of New York, Judge Torres adopted a community-engagement framework and appointed Germain Thompson as liaison for stop-and-frisk reforms.
The order affects the plaintiffs in the Floyd, Davis, and Ligon matters, the City of New York, the independent monitor, the appointed community liaison Germain Thompson, and communities affected by the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk practices.
What happened
In Floyd v. City of New York and related cases, the court had previously found that the New York City Police Department’s stop-and-frisk practices violated plaintiffs’ constitutional rights. The court had ordered reforms and appointed an independent monitor to oversee them.
Plaintiffs later asked for more ways for communities to participate in the reform process. The monitor proposed a community liaison position, and representatives of the plaintiffs, the City, and the monitor reviewed and interviewed candidates. A community advisory group also gave input.
The court appointed Germain Thompson as the community liaison and adopted the Community Engagement Liaison Framework. Judge Torres directed the liaison to perform the role and functions described in that framework. The opinion states that the court would address plaintiffs’ separate motion in another order.
The detailed version
- Floyd v. The City of New York · No. 1:08-cv-01034
- Analisa Torres
- Dec. 16, 2022
Background
The court previously held that the New York City Police Department’s stop-and-frisk practices violated plaintiffs’ rights under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments. In a separate remedial order, the court directed the department to undertake reforms and appointed an independent monitor to oversee them. The remedial order also covered constitutional violations at issue in the related Ligon matter, and the parties in the related Davis matter later adopted the same remedies by stipulation.
On July 29, 2021, plaintiffs moved to modify the remedial order to create more opportunities for community engagement and participation in the reform process. On August 25, 2022, the monitor submitted a proposal for a community liaison position and a related job description. The parties and the monitor formed a selection committee that reviewed applications, selected interviewees, interviewed candidates, and recommended candidates by consensus. A community advisory group interviewed the final candidates and provided input to the monitor. The court also interviewed the finalists.
Appointment and Framework
The court selected Germain Thompson as the community liaison. The opinion describes Mr. Thompson as a community organizer at the Legal Aid Society who conducts community education workshops and campaigns, organizes rallies and protests, coordinates voter-registration events, conducts surveys, and works on programs involving youth and young adults affected by violence. The court stated that he would work with communities negatively affected by the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk practices and build relationships with those communities and grassroots organizations.
Disposition
The court adopted the “Community Engagement Liaison Framework” and directed the community liaison to carry out the role and functions described in it. The opinion notes that plaintiffs had also asked the court to hold their motion in abeyance for 60 days after the liaison’s plan was finalized, or alternatively to deny the motion without prejudice. The City opposed plaintiffs’ requests and motion, and the monitor asked the court to deny the motion. The court stated that it would address that motion in a separate order; this order adopts the framework and makes the appointment.
Read the full 3-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.