BLACK OPPORTUNITIES Joseph Biden 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Merrick Garland United States Attorney's Office 86 Chambers St, New York, NY 10007 Dear, Mr. President. It aches my heart to have to write you this letter only two years after George Floyd's passing. But in New York City, we are now in a state of emergency. One of the most well-known racial-based murders in recent ‘American history involved the New York Police Department (NYPD). Innocent Black and Brown people, including Eric Garner, Sean Bell, Amado Diallo, Eleanor Bumpers, and Michael Stewart, have died as a result of their crimes. In 1997, they also sodomized Abner Louima. Unfortunately, the NYPD still has success in race-based policing today. This sets the lives of hundreds, if not millions, of brown and black people in New York City at risk. Former police officer Mayor Eric Adams sees nothing wrong with violating the rights of the thousands of Black and Brown New Yorkers who he promised to defend. Since he has been a government official, he has. supported illegal searches and the traumatization of Black and Brown people in NYC. When Eric Adams was a senator, he created a presentation titled “Stop, Question and Frisk” in which he quoted former commissioner Raymond Kelly as saying, “We stop African Americans and Hispanic youths because we want to instil the fear in them that every time they ieave their home, they can be stopped and searched by the police”. With ‘Adams quoting this, he is supporting the intentional placement of a target on African Americans and Hispanic Youths backs while instilling fear in them. The Adams administration (2022) saw the most stops since 2015,according to a recent report from a federal monitor, suggesting that stop- and-frisk procedures could continue. According to data from the ACLU, 90% of Black and Brown people who were subjected to "stop and frisk* were not guilty. 90% of those who stopped by the NYPD between 2003 and 2022 were people of color. In spite of making only 23% and 29% of the population, respectively, black and Latinx New Yorkers made up 52% and 31% of all stops. We all want safe streets, but they shouldn't be at the expense of mistreating Black and Brown American citizens who are innocent. We don't operate in an unrestrained communist state. Our predecessors felt that it was important to enact the 14th Amendment to the Constitution because it is the "Land of the Free"; they did not say to make any exception when crime levels are high. The ‘Stop and Frisk’ act does not make New Yorkers feel any safer instead it puts them at a constant state of fear, and there is no proof that crime lowers as a result of its implementation. The continuation of that practice is unethical, and police offers have no business adding to the racial disparities in New York. According to the NYCLU, 3 in 4 people stopped were frisked or searched in 2022. Many of the stops have been unlawful and led to violent police misconduct. If the state of New York wanted to do something regarding Mayor Eric ‘Adams and the New York Police Department , they would have done when it was prove that he reinstated'Stop and Frisk’. When Eric Adams running for mayor he made multiple remarks about his desire to bring back ‘Stop and Frisk’. As you can see, this has done nothing but hurt the Black and Brown community in New York. During your campaign, you made promises to hold police accountable for their action and in this moment we call you to stay true to your words. We ask that the Department of Justice launch a pattern and practice investigation on the New York Police Department. We appreciate your time in taking to read over this letter and we hope to see action being taken soon.TN ied Valery Martinez , Honor Roll 12th Grader, Youth Advocate Wckiha. Why Mickesha Wong ,17 year old, National Honor Society, Youth Advocate am lawk Newsome, Co-Founder Black Opportunities & BLMNY