Max Politics – Issue Brief: Policing

Date: May 2, 2021
Hosts: Ben Max (Gotham Gazette) & Jarrett Murphy (City Limits)

Episode Overview

This episode of Max Politics dives deep into the central role of policing and criminal justice in New York City's 2021 elections. With high-profile debates spurred by the George Floyd and Eric Garner cases, the rise in gun violence, and the defund-the-police movement, hosts Ben Max and Jarrett Murphy analyze the urgent questions all candidates must answer, the broader context of reform, and the complex web of authority shaping public safety in NYC.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Policing Is the Central 2021 Election Issue

• Link to Recent Events: The murder of George Floyd and the resonance with Eric Garner’s death in NYC ([02:29])
• Rising Crime: Significant increases in shootings and murders during 2020 elevate public concern ([00:18])
• Dual Demands: Voters seek both police reform and effective crime prevention

  “What are you going to do to make policing fair, more racially just... while also making the city safer?” — Ben ([00:18])

2. Historical and Political Context

• Not a New Issue: Policing has shaped NYC elections for decades—Ed Koch (1977), Giuliani/Dinkins (1989/93), de Blasio (2013) ([01:10])
• 2013 Lessons: Bill de Blasio campaigned on stop-and-frisk reform, but disappointed many with the pace and ambition of change

  "He disappointed a lot of people with the timidity of some of his reforms from the outset, with Bill Bratton as his commissioner, embracing broken windows before moving away from it.” — Jarrett ([01:10])

• Impact of 2020 Protests: Black Lives Matter movement heightened scrutiny over the NYPD budget, discipline, and structure

3. The Complexities of Criminal Justice Beyond Policing

• Interlinked Systems: Reform can't focus only on the NYPD but must include courts, bail law, corrections, and Rikers Island ([04:34])
• Rikers Closure Challenge: COVID-19 delayed construction of borough jails, a major challenge for the next mayor ([04:34])
• Who Has Influence: Multiple actors including the mayor, Comptroller, City Council, State Legislature, DAs, unions, and the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) ([05:58], [07:45])

4. The Role of Oversight Bodies and Influence

• Comptroller: Manages city budget and police-involved settlements ([05:58])
• City Council: Has significant say over the NYPD budget and oversight; 2020 saw complex intra-council debates over NYPD defunding ([05:58])
• Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB):

  “Among the many questions... is, you know, what do you think the role of the CCRB should be? And how much should the police commissioner have to listen to those recommendations?” — Ben ([07:45])

5. Candidate Lanes & Approaches to Policing

• Three Main Lanes Identified:
  • Furthest Left: Carlos Menchaca, Dianne Morales – “real re-envisioning of policing and how public safety is done” ([08:58])
  • Progressive/Middle: Maya Wiley (leans left), Scott Stringer, Shaun Donovan – reform-minded but not as radical
  • Progressive to Moderate: Kathryn Garcia, Zack Iscol, Laurie Sutton, Ray McGuire, Eric Adams – Adams leverages NYPD experience and personal story as a Black man, combining reform with public safety ([08:58])

  “Eric Adams has personal experience in the NYPD for decades...really trying to put forward this combined platform of police reform and fighting crime in a fairly moderate way. But...he thinks that a lot of change is needed at the NYPD.” — Ben ([08:58])

• Experience Matters: Open question whether candidates understand NYPD management complexities ([08:58])

6. Crucial Questions for Candidates

• Police Commissioner Choice:

  "Who or what type of person or what kind of philosophy do you want to have as your police commissioner?" — Jarrett ([10:58])

• Gun Violence:

  “What’s your big vision for reducing gun violence and reducing crime in the city and how you execute it in a fair way?” — Ben ([11:26])

• CCRB Power: Whether the commissioner should be able to overrule disciplinary recommendations ([11:54])
• Rikers & Jails: Addressing violence and population in city jails ([11:54])
• Overall Vision: Candidates must provide detailed, actionable public safety platforms ([02:29]–[12:38])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "This year you have something interesting. A campaign where candidates should be talking about both how to reform policing and...how to address crime. Usually we've had one element of the conversation; this year we'll have to have both." — Jarrett ([01:10])
• “Bill de Blasio has really struggled on all of the above. And this is important for mayoral candidates...to really be thinking about and explaining to voters what their vision is for a fair policing of the city and also to keep the city safe.” — Ben ([02:29])
• "The City Council's role shouldn't be overlooked. As well as the state legislature, which can, of course, set statewide law that the city then has to abide by." — Ben ([05:58])
• “Is the NYPD actually controlled by the commissioner? Is a more deep and frightening question that some have raised during the de Blasio years.” — Jarrett ([08:22])
• "A lot of candidates, a very complex issue. Let's boil it down to the most important questions that we feel candidates should have to answer before primary day.” — Jarrett ([10:58])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–00:58 – Introduction; setting the stakes for policing in 2021
• 01:10–02:29 – Historic overview; how past campaigns handled policing
• 02:29–04:34 – Black Lives Matter’s impact; de Blasio’s record; the “defund” debate
• 04:34–05:58 – Beyond policing: system complexities; role of courts and corrections
• 05:58–07:21 – Who holds power: Comptroller, City Council, State, DAs, and oversight
• 07:21–08:58 – Civilian Complaint Review Board; structure of accountability
• 08:58–10:58 – Dividing the mayoral candidates into “lanes” based on policing stances
• 10:58–12:38 – Crucial questions for candidates; voter preparation

Closing Resources

• Stay Informed: “Read GothamGazette.com and CityLimits.org as we cover the mayoral race and many other races here in 2021.” — Ben ([12:38])
• Voter Participation: “Make sure you check your voter registration or register to vote at vote.nyc.” — Jarrett ([12:08])

This episode provides essential context for understanding the multi-layered debate on policing policy and reform in the lead-up to the 2021 NYC elections, offering listeners a guide to the major players, contentious issues, and the tough questions all candidates must confront.