April 3rd 2024.
During an interview on Power 105’s The Breakfast Club, things became quite heated between defense attorney and political commentator Olayemi Olurin and New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Olurin brought up some troubling statistics, based on analysis from federal monitors, that showed the controversial "Stop-and-Frisk" teams had made numerous unlawful stops targeting Black and Latino individuals. Shockingly, it was found that 24% of these stops were actually unconstitutional back in 2023.
As Olurin continued to touch on the staggering numbers facing New Yorkers in terms of police protection, Adams found himself in a difficult position. She called him out on reviving disbanded units in 2020 that had been accused of disproportionately abusing Black and brown New Yorkers. According to the attorney, out of ten different precincts, 97% of the neighborhood safety team's reported stops were of Black and Hispanic citizens. Olurin stressed that these findings were not her own, but were actually stated by the federal monitor.
Since becoming mayor, Adams has not only revived these controversial police units, but also reinstated the practice of stop and frisk. As a result, a staggering 97% of all stops and searches have been carried out on Black and Latino New Yorkers. This exchange between Olurin and Adams quickly went viral on social media, with many calling out the mayor for his repeated attempts to interrupt and deflect, which some saw as a sign of guilt.
One social media user, @LaurenJauregui, wrote, “The way he keeps trying to speak over you and interrupt you!! They know their guilty just never been held accountable like this!! I love to see it!!!” Another user, @yuhline, commended Olurin for remaining calm during the interview, saying, “I wanted to climb the table. I dunno how you maintained the calm.”
Adams has claimed that "Stop-and-Frisk" is a key element in driving down crime in New York City, but the statistics do not support this. In fact, in the years between 2011 and 2014, when stop and frisk decreased by 93%, so did the number of serious crimes, including murder. Despite this, Adams continues to push for the use of this controversial tactic.
During their interview, Olurin also called out Adams on his claims that he has turned around the NYPD's history of misconduct. She pointed out that just last year, the city paid out a staggering $150 million in settlements for police misconduct, which was double the amount from before Adams became mayor. In fact, an analysis of government data revealed that the city has paid out over $540 million in misconduct lawsuits over the past six years.
It is clear that the issue of police misconduct and discrimination is a pressing one in New York City, and the conversation between Olurin and Adams has shed light on the ongoing struggles that many Black and brown New Yorkers face at the hands of law enforcement. As the city continues to grapple with these issues, it is important for leaders like Adams to be held accountable and for real change to be implemented.
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