Podcast Summary: “An N.Y.P.D. Sergeant Blows the Whistle on Quotas”

The New Yorker Radio Hour
Host: David Remnick
Reporter: Jennifer Gonnerman
Guest: Sergeant Edwin Raymond
Original Air Date: August 24, 2018

Overview

This episode follows Jennifer Gonnerman’s in-depth interview with Sergeant Edwin Raymond, a Brooklyn-born NYPD officer and a central figure in the “NYPD 12,” a group of whistleblowers who challenged quota-based policing practices in New York City. The episode explores the origins of Raymond’s activism, the ongoing presence of quotas within the department, the impact of “broken windows” policing, and the personal consequences–both supportive and hostile–that have accompanied Raymond’s act of speaking out.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Scene and Raymond’s Background

• Jennifer meets Raymond at Lincoln Terrace Park, Brooklyn, at night, setting the backdrop among local community activity (basketball, cricket, etc.).
• Raymond discusses growing up experiencing NYPD’s racial profiling, which motivated his later activism against police practices.

“I actually purposely chose [Brownsville] because I felt as someone who criticizes bad police policy, you know, I can't go where it's easy. If I don't actually go there to see for myself, then it's just lip service.”
— Raymond (01:49)

Early Encounters with Racism and Policing

• Raymond recounts as a teenager how he was publicly and unjustifiably searched by plainclothes officers—a formative experience:

“I realized at that moment that to those officers, there was no difference between them and me. And the only thing I had in common with them was ancestry and ... race, ethnicity.”
— Raymond (03:02)

Discovering Quotas in Policing

• On his first day after the police academy, Raymond notes the priority was on numbers—arrests, summonses, and stop-and-frisks—not public safety (03:49).
• Summonses are issued for low-level offenses like public drinking/urination; designed to generate revenue and reduce minor court cases (04:50).
• The pressure to hit numbers was unambiguous; officers were expected to meet specific monthly quotas (arrests, summonses, stop-and-frisks) or face disciplinary postings:

“It was straight up, you know, this is what we want. They'll give exact numbers ... and if you didn't meet the quota, you started getting retaliatory posts.”
— Raymond (06:04)

Quota Numbers Example:

• “No less than 2 arrests, 10 summonses, and 10 stop and frisk per month.” (06:50)

Retaliation and Work Culture

• Retaliatory postings: unpopular shifts or assignments meant to punish officers who don’t meet quotas, like guarding a prisoner in a hospital or working at isolated stations (06:25).
• The phenomenon of “ice picking”: making trivial arrests to fulfill quotas.
  • Examples include arresting someone for jelly dripping from a donut or peeling paint on a subway pillar (07:33).

"It all goes back to systemic racism. The fact that what they're enforcing, they can't enforce in Park Slope...but yet here they are in Flatbush, in Crown Heights, in Harlem...enforcing these things.”
— Raymond (07:45)

Department Euphemisms and Denials

• Department uses euphemisms like “address your conditions” or “pay the rent” when referring to quotas (08:26).
• Despite official denials, Raymond affirms that quotas remain, still influencing behavior and promotions (08:47):

“Quotas absolutely still exist. Thankfully, where I work now, there are no quotas. But ... officers from other precincts will approach me and say ... quotas are still a very real way of how the department operates.”
— Raymond (08:47)

After Blowing the Whistle

• After the NY Times Magazine cover story on his lawsuit, Raymond anticipated severe backlash, including fears for his safety, but found worldwide attention and support instead (09:51–10:16).

“I was ready to lose my job. I anticipated anything that can happen, even losing my life. And I hate to have to say losing my life. But let’s be honest…we saw what happened to Frank Serpico.”
— Raymond (09:57)

Impact and Spread of “Broken Windows” and COMPSTAT

• Explanation of COMPSTAT: a data-driven system for evaluating and managing crime—originally intended for serious crimes but resulting in manipulating numbers through minor arrests (10:49–12:23).
• The “broken windows” strategy pioneered by Bratton and exported globally is cited as the origin of widespread quota-based policing:

“When I say Bratton’s cancer, that’s what I’m referring to. The spread of broken windows, quality of life quota policing—it really starts to spread throughout different parts of the nation and different parts of the world.”
— Raymond (13:42)

Cultural Fallout and Fellow Officers’ Reactions

• Many officers expressed private support to Raymond, though public hostility and suspicion remained (“that’s the rat”) (14:48–15:53).
• He reflects on the deeper culture of policing and how challenging the system rarely wins you popularity, even among those who would benefit:

“Cops of all ranks feel personally attacked. So that shocked me, because if you really pay attention, this is actually beneficial for officers ... I thought officers would kind of embrace this more.”
— Raymond (15:53)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Experiencing profiling (03:02): “There was no difference between them and me. And the only thing I had in common with them was ancestry and, you know, race, ethnicity." — Raymond
• Quotas persist (08:47): “Quotas absolutely still exist... quotas are still a very real way of how the department operates." — Raymond
• Retaliation (06:25): “Just train station that's barely frequented, 20 degrees outside, and you're...freezing by yourself.” — Raymond
• Public isolation (15:53): “Cops of all ranks feel personally attacked. ... At first I thought officers would kind of embrace this more.”

Time-Stamped Highlights

| Timestamp | Segment | Key Point / Quote | |-----------|----------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:49 | Choosing Brownsville | “I can't go where it's easy...” | | 03:02 | Teenage encounter with police | “To those officers, there was no difference between them and me.” | | 06:04 | On explicit quota demands | “There was no ambiguity. It was straight up…” | | 07:33 | ‘Ice picking’ arrest anecdotes | “Stranger than fiction...” | | 08:47 | Quota system persists | “Quotas absolutely still exist.” | | 09:57 | Anticipating consequences | “I was ready to lose my job. ...even losing my life.” | | 10:49 | COMPSTAT and broken windows | “COMPSTAT is something that Commissioner Bratton incorporated…” | | 13:42 | Bratton’s policing worldwide | “That’s what I’m referring to. The spread of broken windows…” | | 14:18 | Still in the department | “That is quite unprecedented, which is why it gives hope...” | | 15:53 | Pushback from colleagues | “Cops of all ranks feel personally attacked...” |

Podcast Tone and Style

Jennifer Gonnerman’s reporting is probing yet empathetic, inviting Raymond to share professional realities and personal reflections. Raymond’s tone is earnest, reflective, at times indignant, but consistently hopeful about the prospect of reform and the power of speaking out.

Conclusion

This interview with Sergeant Edwin Raymond offers a rare, insider’s perspective on the persistent realities of quota-based policing—and its deep entanglement with racial bias—in the NYPD. His story encapsulates the personal risks of whistleblowing, the slow pace of institutional change, and the global spread of American policing strategies. Despite backlash, Raymond’s persistence offers hope for like-minded officers and communities seeking justice and reform.