Our Mission
Founded in 2015, Communities United for Police Reform Action Fund (CPR Action) is an independent 501(c)4 organization that works to strengthen public policy to end police violence and advance community safety solutions that decrease reliance on policing. Through public education, voter engagement and public policy advocacy, CPR Action builds power among communities most directly impacted by discriminatory and abusive policing and seeks lasting systemic change. CPR Action’s sibling 501(c)3 organization is Communities United for Police Reform (CPR).
Our Work
We strengthen public policy to end police violence.
History + Achievements:
Hosted our first candidate forum for NYC mayoral candidates during the 2021 primary election to gather leading candidates to discuss issues related to policing and community safety, and to address the tough questions about candidates’ plans for the NYPD. The forum was co-sponsored by Color Of Change, the New York Civil Liberties Union, Mijente, and Drug Policy Action.
Hosted our first forum in 2021 for candidates running to become the next New York City Council Speaker, to learn how the leading candidates might exercise their full authority in that role in relation to the NYPD, policing, and community safety.
Launched #CopWatchThePolls during the 2020 elections to gather information from the public about police presence, intimidation, harassment, and misconduct at or near NYC polling sites, after we received distributing accounts of NYPD expanded police presence at poll sites and intimidating conduct related to the election and in anticipation of further deployments for what NYPD called “expected election protest violence” in NYC.
Coordinated the #YesOn2 campaign, a public education and voter engagement effort that fought and won the inclusion of police accountability on the general election ballot, as part of the 2019 City Charter Revision Process. Building on the work of our sibling organization CPR and its members, Proposal 2 on the 2019 general election ballot was about expanding the Civilian Complaint Review Board’s jurisdiction to include investigating and disciplinarily prosecuting police who lie in misconduct cases.
Coordinated the development and introduction of the state legislative agenda in 2015 that included the Police STAT Act, which our sibling organization CPR and its members helped lead to victory in 2020. The law requires municipalities to report on low-level police enforcement activities and all deaths resulting from police action.
News & Updates
CPR Action joins the Global Call for Ceasefire Now
Friday, November 10, 2023 – CPR Action Fund joins the global demand for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian aid in Gaza, and the release of all hostages. With millions across the world, we mourn the devastating loss of Palestinian and Israeli lives in recent weeks. As an organization working to end police violence, we believe […]
Resources
One of the most important parts of building power in our communities is making sure all of our voices are heard on Election Day. This page has some key resources for participating in upcoming elections in New York City.
- In New York City and State, there can be several days to vote throughout the year. Find key dates here.
- Here are some sites where you can find key dates, as well as ballot and poll information:
- Request a ballot here. (Note: You can request an absentee ballot later than this, but you have do it in person, more on that below).
- Find your early voting site here (Note: this might be different than the location you usually vote at on Election Day).
- You can request a ballot at your Borough Board of Elections office.
- You can find your poll site here.
- There is also the deadline to return any absentee ballots. Make sure to check the postmark date or the date by when you must return it in person at your poll site.
- Do your research on the candidates and all the questions on your ballot. When thinking about candidates’ records on the NYPD and police accountability, here are some key questions to consider before voting:
- What public comments has this person made regarding police accountability, misconduct, and oversight?
- What has this person done in other roles they’ve held when instances of police violence occurred and what comments have they made afterward?
- What types of solutions does this person bring to the table? Will they lead toward real community safety?
- Be prepared to see Ranked Choice Voting, which means that instead of having to choose just one candidate, voters will be able to rank up to 5 candidates in order of preference.
-
- After everyone’s voted, if one candidate gets more than 50% of first-choice votes, they win. But if no candidate receives more than 50% of first-choice votes, the person with the least amount of votes is eliminated and the ballots are counted in rounds. If your first-choice candidate is eliminated, your second-choice candidate receives your vote, and that process continues until one candidate reaches more than 50% of the vote.
- Here’s a video explainer about Ranked Choice Voting from NYC Votes.
- After everyone’s voted, if one candidate gets more than 50% of first-choice votes, they win. But if no candidate receives more than 50% of first-choice votes, the person with the least amount of votes is eliminated and the ballots are counted in rounds. If your first-choice candidate is eliminated, your second-choice candidate receives your vote, and that process continues until one candidate reaches more than 50% of the vote.
Join Our Team
CPR Action is hiring! Join our growing team and help strengthen public policy to end police violence and advance community safety solutions that decrease reliance on policing. CPR Action is hiring for the following positions:
Applications will be reviewed as received.
Communities United for Police Reform Action (CPR Action) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ethnicity, national origin, religion, or disability.
Please be advised that we can only respond to those we intend to interview.
“Where is the blueprint on ending police violence?”
– Iris Baez,
Mother of Anthony Baez,
who was killed by the NYPD in 1994
