Bronx Residents Come Together for Police Reform Campaign
Contact: Kamau Butcher, The Bronx Defenders
Phone: 718-838-7878
E-mail: kamaub@bronxdefenders.org
Press Advisory December 3, 2012
Bronx Residents Come Together for Police Reform Campaign
On Thursday, December 6th at 6pm, Bronx residents will gather at The Bronx Defenders for the
launch of The Bronx Defenders Organizing Project: a movement of our clients, former clients,
families, neighbors, and staff to fight for police reform and social justice in the Bronx and
beyond. As part of a citywide campaign called Communities United for Police Reform (CPR),
The Bronx Defenders aims to halt the practice of illegal stops, searches, and mistreatment by the
police, and to make the Bronx safer for all of us. The Organizing Project is empowering youth
and families through “Know Your Rights” trainings; raising awareness about discriminatory
police practices during town halls and advocacy days; and fighting for the Community Safety
Act, a package of legislation in City Council that would increase NYPD accountability.
Thursday’s event will bring together scores of concerned Bronx residents to discuss how to end
discriminatory police practices like stop-and-frisk in the Bronx and citywide. This is the first of a
series of events, town halls, advocacy days, and outreach that will take place in the South Bronx,
organized by Bronx residents.
WHO: The Bronx Defenders
WHEN: Thursday, December 6th, 6PM
WHERE: The Bronx Defenders 860 Courtlandt Avenue
A holistic public defender organization located in the South Bronx, The Bronx Defenders
(www.bronxdefenders.org) provides comprehensive legal services to 30,000 low-income Bronx
residents each year, including criminal defense, family court defense, and civil legal services and
advocacy. Our unique model of interdisciplinary holistic advocacy bridges the gaps among legal,
social, and community services to address the problems that drive many of our clients into the
criminal justice system. Our work extends far beyond the courthouse doors to ensure that clients
can access the services they need to achieve success, including counseling, informed referrals
to treatment programs, and the option to return long after a case is closed to get help finding
a job or securing public benefits. The Bronx Defenders serves on the Steering Committee of
Communities United for Police Reform (CPR), a non-partisan campaign to end discriminatory
policing practices in New York, and to build a movement that promotes public safety and
policing practices based on cooperation and respect ( http://changethenypd.org).