Tell Mayor Bloomberg: Stop NYPD's racially targeted marijuana arrest crusade

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New York City’s police are targeting Black and Latino neighborhoods with a massive campaign of harassment and illegal frisks and searches in a push for marijuana arrests. NYPD arrests tens of thousands of people for possessing small amounts of marijuana each year, and 86% of them are Black or Latino — even though White people use marijuana at higher rates. Marijuana possession is supposed to be treated like a traffic violation in New York. But police are falsely charging people with having marijuana “in public view,” and giving thousands of young people a criminal record which can follow them for the rest of their lives, severely limiting their freedom and opportunities.

Mayor Bloomberg is the one person who can immediately order NYPD to stop this. Please join us in calling on Mayor Bloomberg to end this racially-biased, destructive and expensive policy.

Here's the letter we'll send to Mayor Bloomberg on your behalf (you can add a personal comment using the box on the right):

Dear Mayor Bloomberg,

I’m writing to demand that you put an immediate end to NYPD’s marijuana arrest crusade.

These arrests are racially biased and target young people. Almost 70% of those arrested are 16 – 29 years old. Nearly 86% of all those arrested are Black and Latino — even though government studies of high school seniors show Whites use marijuana at higher rates.

Many, if not most, of these arrests are the result of illegal frisks and illegal searches, or outright false charging by the police. The charges associated with these arrests create a criminal record that can stay with someone for the rest of their life, severely limiting their opportunities. The push for marijuana arrests affects not only those arrested, but entire communities who must endure invasive, illegal searches, and harassment from police every day.

These arrests are also astoundingly expensive. In 2010 alone, marijuana possession arrests cost NYC taxpayers $75 million. This money would be better spent on many other important priorities for the city.

I urge you to order NYPD to end the practice of illegal frisks and searches, and stop the push for marijuana arrests.

Sincerely,

[your name]

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