S.T.O.P., Hogan Lovells Release “New CCOPS On The Beat” Report On Local Surveillance Laws, Calls On NYPD To Improve Compliance

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For Immediate Release

S.T.O.P., Hogan Lovells Release “New CCOPS On The Beat” Report On Local Surveillance Laws, Calls On NYPD To Improve Compliance

(NEW YORK, NY, 2/10/21) – Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy group, and Hogan Lovells (Hogan), a leading global law firm, released their “New CCOPS On The Beat,” a report on the growth and effectiveness of local surveillance laws. The report details the growth and variation in Community Control Over Police Surveillance (CCOPS) laws that have been passed by more than a dozen jurisdictions, imposing transparency for surveillance purchases and outlawing facial recognition in some jurisdictions.

SEE: New CCOPS On The Beat
www.Stopspying.org/ccops

“This report shows that the growing national movement against police surveillance is working,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “Advocates have long said more protections are needed, but now we are able to detail what protections work. We can learn from those cities where CCOPS bills have had the biggest impact, while avoiding the pitfalls shown in others.”

“We are pleased to have worked with STOP on this report, which among other findings, concludes that CCOPS laws can improve transparency and accountability in the government’s use of surveillance technologies,” said Stevie DeGroff, an associate in Hogan Lovells’ Privacy and Cybersecurity practice. “We know that surveillance technology often disproportionally impacts communities of color. The laws and regulations discussed in this paper help us better understand the full scope and impact of the use of this technology.”

Key Findings of The Report Include:

At least 15 jurisdictions have enacted CCOPS ordinances in recent years;
Successful jurisdictions have seen significant transparency and accountability improvements in police surveillance as a result;
Given how recently CCOPS laws were enacted, it is too early to know in many jurisdictions if the laws are having a meaningful effect; and
New York City is a significant outlier, having the weakest CCOPS law, and having seen minimal compliance from the NYPD.

The report comes as the civil rights group is highlighting the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD’s) failure to comply with New York City’s CCOPS bill: The Public Oversight of Surveillance Technology (POST) Act. Under the POST Act, the NYPD was required to publish reports on all existing surveillance technologies. While the NYPD did publish 36 reports, those contain large amounts of undescriptive, boilerplate language, typos, and errors, providing minimal transparency. The policies are open for public comment until February 25, 2021.

Cahn continued, “This report and the NYPD’s actions show that it’s not enough to just pass a law; we have to make sure it’s actually followed. The NYPD is trying to undermine the entire purpose of the POST Act by giving the public documents that hide almost everything. We need every New Yorker to make their voice heard in the few days we have left.”

SEE: POST Act Public Comment Page
https://www1.nyc.gov/site/nypd/about/about-nypd/public-comment.page

POST Act Advocacy Website
www.postact.org

N.Y. Times – Council Forces N.Y.P.D. to Disclose Use of Drones and Other Spy Tech
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/18/nyregion/nypd-police-surveillance-technology-vote.html

The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider hosted by the Urban Justice Center. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color.

Global law firm Hogan Lovells offers experience and deep insights gained from working in some of the world’s most complex legal environments and markets. With more than 2,700 lawyers on six continents, we provide practical legal solutions wherever our clients’ work takes them. As one of the first law firms to have established a stand-alone pro bono practice, we believe everyone deserves access to justice.

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CONTACT: S.T.O.P. Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn

PressAlbert cahnFebruary 10, 2021