NEW YORK, NY – The following statement is in response to a video released of NYPD forcibly restraining a homeless woman at the Jamaica Center Subway Station. “Today’s disturbing video of NYPD officers forcibly restraining and handcuffing a woman at the Jamaica Center subway station is completely unacceptable. This conduct is dehumanizing and traumatizing for a person who has obviously already endured too much trauma in her life. This is NOT how the police should be deployed to effect involuntary transport for psychiatric evaluation. If someone is experiencing psychiatric crisis, it should be treated as a health issue and the response must be led by medical professionals rather than police. We call for an end to this use of police to abuse homeless people, including those with psychiatric disabilities. Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo must immediately reverse course on their shameful and counterproductive plans to increase the policing of homeless New Yorkers, or else this unnerving incident will serve as a harbinger of more to come.” – Shelly Nortz, Coalition for the Homeless Deputy Executive Director for Policy.
