Take Control

Obtain police misconduct reports

They are called “closing reports”

Log on to the city’s FOIL portal and click “Request a record.”

For the category, choose “Public Safety,” and for the agency, choose CCRB.

Now describe what you want as specifically as possible. For example, “all closing reports prepared for an incident of alleged misconduct that occurred on Ja. 1, 2019, in the 70th Precinct,” or “all closing reports containing an allegation against Officer John Smith, currently of the 70th Precinct.”

Enter your contact information, and voila – you’ve now made a legally proper FOIL request.

CCRB may drag its feet in getting you the document, and I would never put it past the city to play games, but you should receive the reports requested in a few months. Remember, you don’t have to be the one who reported the incident — any report is a public document for any interested party

John Teufel (@JohnTeufelNYC) is a freelance writer and lawyer in private practice.

Request new street feature

  1. Plant a tree or install a tree guard
  2. Order a bike rack
  3. Order a Bench
  4. Order a Bike Corral
  5. Apply for a pocket park
  6. Apply for a play street 
  7. Apply for a slow zone
  8. Request a Speed Camera

Vehicles pollute the air

  1. Buses or trucks are are idling

The pavement is damaged

  1. There are potholes in the bike lane or crossing
  2. The sidewalk is damaged with cracks
  3. There is no pedestrian ramp at the crossing

Toolkits

Tools

  • Crashmapper shows all traffic collisions in New York city and provides filters by geography adn types of crash to analyze the results and support your advocacy.
  • Open Streets provide applicants with flyers in multiple languages
  • Bus parking maps shows all bus parking locations that were created for charter buses which visit the city . Bus routes show the legal routes from parking locations to the venues in MCB4 and MCB5

Statistics & Studies

MCB4 repository

  1. Crash Statistics (2005)
  2. Top 20 Pedestrian Crash sites (2007)
  3. TA traffic calming for HKNA (2003)
  4. HKNA report on dangerous conditions (2004)
  5. Most dangerous schools (2003)- Table 4
  6. Health of our neighborhood
  7. #7 Subway Extension
  8. ARC Project (Train tunnel to New Jersey)
  9. Bike Lanes and resources
  10. Senior Study
  11. DOT study of Clinton Hell’s Kitchen
  12. 9th Avenue Renaissance report
  13. Hudson Yards Rezoning Parking Amendment
  14. 34th Street Transitway
  15. Community Board 4 Sidewalk Guidelines
  16. Community Board 4 Sidewalk Cafe Guidelines
  17. Community Board 4 Newsstands Guidelines
  18. Community Board 4 Street Naming Guidelines
  19. Community Board 4 Capital priorities for Transportation

Is this legal?

Street crossing is dangerous

A pedestrian crossing is obstructed by gridlocked cars

  1. Observe the intersection and the reason why it is gridlocked (obstruction ahead?  Careless drivers?  Long Vehicles?)
  2. Collect statistics if you can (how often , specific days, times of days). Pictures or movies are very helpful too.
  3. Call 311 and request more enforcement of “Spill backs”
  4. Call your precinct or Attend your Police Precinct community council and request enforcement at this intersection
  5. Write a letter to NYPD,  1 Police Plaza , New York City, NY, 10007  to request enforcement at this intersection.
  6. Copy your elected officials (see Resources)
  7. Copy Chekpeds

I was nearly hit by a turning car

  1. Observe the intersection and the reason why it is gridlocked (obstruction ahead? careless drivers? Long Vehicles?).
  2. Collect statistics if you can (how often , specific days, times of days). Pictures or videos are very helpful too.
  3. Call 311 and request more enforcement of “Spill backs”.
  4. Call your precinct or attend your Police Precinct community council and request enforcement at this intersection. ( see elected officials )
  5. Write a letter to NYPD,  1 Police Plaza , New York City, NY, 10007  to request enforcement at this intersection.
  6. Copy your elected officials and community board
  7. Copy Chekpeds

There is a dangerous street crossing

  1. Observe the intersection and the reason why it is dangerous (more details is better). Pictures or movies are very helpful too.
  2. Call 311 and request more police enforcement at the intersection
  3. Collect statistics if you can
  4. Write a letter/email to  Community Board  to present the problem to the Transportation Committee.
  5. Copy your elected officials (see Resources)
  6. Copy Chekpeds

Get help from elected officials

Chekpeds

Who Are The Members of Chekpeds?

  • 344-348 West 38th Street Tenants Corp.
  • 43rd Street Block Association
  • 44SW
  • 44th Street Block Association
  • 45th Street Block Association
  • 46th Street Block Association
  • 47/48th Street Block Association
  • 55th Street Block Association
  • 9th Avenue Association
  • Actors Temple Theater
  • American Home Hardware & More
  • Baryshnikov Arts
  • Basilica
  • Brazil Brazil
  • CandleWood Suites Times Square
  • Center B Studio LLC
  • Chimichurri Grill
  • Clinton Housing Development Corp.
  • Community Development Venture Capital Alliance
  • Costa del Sol
  • Cupcake Cafe
  • Delphinium Home
  • Dermot
  • Domus
  • Econolodge Times Square
  • Empire Tailors & Cleaners
  • Fresh Cut Flowers
  • Galaxy Diner
  • Gigi Stoll Portraits
  • Hampton Inn times Square South
  • Hartley House
  • Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Association
  • HK Restaurant
  • HK50/51 Block Association
  • Holiday Inn Times Square
  • Housing Conservation Coordinators
  • Hudson Crossing Tenants Association
  • Il Punto
  • International Foods
  • J.Seffens Studio
  • John & Tony West
  • L’Allegria
  • Larissa Designs
  • Manganaro’s Food
  • Manhattan Plaza
  • Metro Bicycle Stores
  • New Dramatists
  • Nice N Natural
  • Orion Condominium
  • PetsNYC.com
  • Piccinini Brothers
  • Poseidon Bakery
  • Project FIND
  • R/GA
  • Revolution Rickshaws
  • Rockrose Development
  • Sea Breeze
  • Smiley
  • Sonja Wagner Gallery
  • St. Lukes Theater
  • Studio LLC
  • Sunnyside Records
  • Tagine
  • Tartare
  • The Piano Factory
  • The Ritz
  • Thrift & New Shoppe
  • Trattoria Pesce Pasta
  • Vintner Wine Market

How Do I Join Chekpeds?

Subscribe to our newsletter. top of the right column

Follow us on Twitter @checkpeds

If you want advice or are interested in pursuing an issue, write us at Excom@chekpeds.com