Will New York Prioritize Public Safety Over Collective Guilt?
The Central Park jogger case has long been a source of collective guilt for New York City. However, the City Council now faces a decision on whether to let a legitimate police stop of Yusef Salaam, a former Central Park Five defendant and current Harlem councilman, dictate the future of policing in the city.
In 1989, Salaam was charged by Manhattan prosecutors at the age of 15 for the rape and near-killing of the Central Park jogger. He spent nearly seven years in prison before his conviction was vacated in 2002 when another individual confessed to the crime. The de Blasio administration later paid Salaam and the other defendants a $41 million settlement.
Last year, Salaam ran for a Harlem council seat solely on his biography and won. Despite not having lived in New York for six years and having no intention of running until he was recruited by Harlem Democrats, he positioned himself as a moderate candidate to align with the views of Harlem voters who do not support defunding the police.
However, Salaam has now revealed his enduring anger towards the police. In December, the City Council voted to require police officers to document every engagement they have with the public, even if it is just a simple check on the well-being of an individual walking alone at night. Salaam expressed his support for this legislation and stated that he would vote to override the mayor’s recent veto of the bill.
Recently, Salaam claimed that he was pulled over by the police while driving with his wife and children in Harlem. He introduced himself as Councilman Yusef Salaam and asked the officer why he was pulled over. Instead of answering, the officer walked away. Salaam used this incident as evidence of racial profiling and called for greater transparency in policing.
However, the police released a video and their rationale for the stop, revealing that Salaam’s car had illegally tinted windows. Dark tint is considered dangerous as it impairs visibility for pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers. It also prevents police officers from determining if the driver is engaging in dangerous behavior, such as texting while driving. Additionally, Salaam’s car had a Georgia license plate, indicating that he may not be familiar with New York’s safe-driving laws.
While the officer’s immediate departure after Salaam identified himself as an elected official was not justified, it is a common occurrence for individuals in positions of power to expect preferential treatment. This issue of low-grade corruption within the police force should be addressed by the City Council.
Salaam’s prominence, which is solely due to a decades-old injustice, has led him to advocate for burdening the police with more paperwork. However, he also wants to discourage traffic stops for illegal behavior, even though traffic stops have already decreased. Last year, there were fewer than 690,000 traffic stops compared to 2019’s 986,000. Surprisingly, traffic deaths have increased, with 258 recorded in 2023 compared to 220 in 2019.
The majority of these deaths are among young men and their female passengers. Without traffic stops, particularly those targeting young male drivers who tend to be the most reckless, these deaths will continue to occur.
It is crucial that other council members do not fall for Salaam’s stunt when considering the override of the mayor’s veto. Public safety should be prioritized over political posturing.
