CCRB Jurisdiction 

According to the New York City Charter and Rules of the City of New York, the CCRB has the jurisdiction to investigate, mediate, and prosecute allegations of misconduct in the following categories: force, abuse of authority, discourtesy, offensive language, and untruthful statements. Here are more details about the different types of misconduct the CCRB investigates and examples of each:

Force: Excessive or unnessecary use of physical force

  • Punching and kicking
  • Use of a firearm (pointed or discharged)
  • Chokehold
  • Use of pepper spray
  • The use of a baton or nightstick, or taser

Abuse of Authority: Misrepresenting power of influence to gain compliance 

  • Searches of vehicles and residencies  
  • Refusal to provide name and shield number 
  • Threatening to call ICE 
  • Forcible removal to a hospital 
  • Sexual Misconduct 
  • Body worn camera misuse
  • Racial Profiling and Bias-Based Policing

Discourtesy: Speaking, gesturing or behaving rudely 

  • Foul language
  • Use of profanity 
  • Discourteous conduct such as gestures or actions

Offensive Language: Using verbally offensive speech 

  • Racial and religious speech
  • Language that inappropriately refers to race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability 

Untruthful Statements: Making an intentionally an untrue statement to the public or to the CCRB during an investigation   

  • Intentionally false, misleading or inaccurate statements made to a CCRB investigator during an investigation 
  • Intentionally false statements made to civilians on police paperwork or in official proceedings  
  • Intentionally false statements made in court proceedings 
  • Intentionally falsified police report   

 

On September 9, 2023 the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced citywide budget cuts. As a result, the CCRB will lack the resources to fully investigate certain cases within its jurisdiction. After careful consideration, effective January 1, 2024, the CCRB suspended investigating:  

  • Failure to provide officers' business cards pursuant to the Right to Know Act (RTKA) with no other allegations; 
  • Refusal to provide name or shield number with no other allegations; 
  • Discourteous words or actions with no other allegations; 
  • Threats with no action with no other allegations; 
  • Refusal to process a civilian complaint with no other allegations; 
  • Property seizures with no other allegations; 
  • Forcible removal to hospital with no other allegations; 
  • Untruthful statements with no other allegations; 
  • Any complaint that has only the above referenced allegations.

The CCRB will resume investigating these cases as soon as the city allocates sufficient funding to do so.