Independent Monitor found that NYPD specialized units continued to engage in unconstitutional stops, frisks, and searches at rates higher than non-specialized officers, failing to meet most court-ordered benchmarks.

The report focuses on Neighborhood Safety Teams, Community Response Teams, and the former Public Safety Teams, noting these units conducted proactive stops rather than responding to 911 calls.

Legal teams from the Legal Aid Society, LDF, and Selendy Gay PLLC represent the plaintiff class in Davis v. City of New York, framing the action around constitutional concerns.

NYPD says overall stop numbers have declined since the lawsuits and acknowledges more work is needed, though full comment on the report was not provided.

New targets require specialized units to achieve at least 90% lawful compliance for stops, frisks, and searches by the third quarter of 2026 and maintain that level through year-end 2026.

Stop reports frequently used boilerplate language and uniform narratives, raising questions about the credibility of the documented encounters.

Demographic data show that 91% of those stopped by specialized units were Black or Hispanic, and 88% were Black or Hispanic men.

Legal advocates have pressed to disband the specialized units, while the mayor has signaled openness to reform without pledging abolition.

Auditing gaps persisted, with years without audits for Community Response Team stops starting in 2023 and later consolidations widening those gaps until auditing resumed.

Specialized units yielded fewer arrests per stop (about 20%) compared with routine patrols (over 40%).

Officials describe the findings as evidence of ongoing constitutional violations against New Yorkers of color and call for immediate action to end unconstitutional policing by specialized units.

The oversight stems from Floyd v. City of New York and Davis v. City of New York, two federal class-action suits alleging racially biased policing, with ongoing federal supervision.