LGBT Groups Call on New York City Lawmakers to Protect Rights in Police Encounters

Today, Lambda Legal joined over two dozen local, state and national LGBT and HIV prevention groups to call on the New York City Council to pass the Right to Know Act to protect LGBT New Yorkers’ rights in police encounters.

The organizations sent a letter to New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council LGBT Caucus Facilitator Corey Johnson, New York City Council members and Mayor Bill de Blasio calling for passage of the Right to Know Act. The legislation – consistent with the recent recommendations of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing – would require police officers to tell New Yorkers who is stopping them and why, and to advise them of their right to refuse or withdraw consent to searches for which there is no other legal basis.

Demoya Gordon, Regional and Transgender Rights Project Adviser for Lambda Legal, said:

As we celebrate our tremendous victory in securing equal rights to marriage for all, we are mindful that much more remains to be done to secure the rights of LGBT people interacting with police. We urge New York City Council to take the important step of protecting the rights of LGBT New Yorkers during police encounters by passing the Right to Know Act.

Read the full letter here.

Read the joint release.