Directly related to the struggles of the Latino Community with the NYPD in the Jackson Height’s neighborhood, is the experience of LGBTQ Latina/o community members. The forum that was held this month, to discuss these issues, was covered by the Queen’s Courier.
Let me address the points in the Police response to the allegations.
The 115th Commander, the same person who commands the same Captains, who come out to tell demonstrators to silence their demonstrations or else they will be arrested (as it happened yesterday) stated:
“…they had not been made aware any police relations forum and they had no complaints of police misconduct” (Reported by Cruz, Queen’s Courier).
Except that members of the LGBTQ Equality Coalition of Queens had been calling the liaison on a nightly basis. One member stated: “I always get his answering machine, and he hardly returns my messages.”
I facilitated one of the forum flyers to Community Affairs and extended a cordial invitation to the officer. This also constitutes not informing the NYPD.
Also, once the 115th LGBT liaison returned the Coalition’s phone calls he stated that he would attend the forum. He also stated that he would follow a protocol of listening to the community without defensiveness.
Truth: The NYPD 115th precinct is well informed of community concern and forums, and is hardly invested in listening to members of the community. As it happened yesterday, no attempts to engage in a dialogue took place between the high commanding officer and community members. The NYPD officers have no liaisons, community affair officers or commanders who are interested in doing real community policing. Because a police force working under a real community policing paradigm engages in ongoing dialogue with members of the community.
Finally, one testimony not covered by the Courier was that of a Latina transwoman, Ms. P., who recently had to accept a plea bargain in “Vice Court” for alleged prostitution. According to Ms. P., she was detained by the Police Officer with very little explanation and then summoned to Vice Court. The Legal Aide defense assigned to Ms. P hardly had time to represent her case that day. When community activist tried to advocate for Ms. P., the Legal Aide counsel stated that it was easier for her to accept a plea bargain, even when our Latina sister was innocent. No right to trial and no resources were offered.
It is sad that the LGBT liaison saw fit to advocate for the cause of a suspected john, who had been arrested for allegedly promoting a prostitute, but not enough for the Latinas who suffers the humiliation and criminalization of the “Vice Court”. This is just another evidence of how easy it is for Police Officers in the 115th to profile Latina’s and performs brutal and humiliating arrests without Probable Cause.
