In October, the New York City Police Foundation celebrated its 50th anniversary with a glitzy, closed-door gala. Outside of public view, business executives and the city’s elite had exclusive access to NYC politicians and the NYPD’s top brass — and the Empire State Building glowed blue to celebrate New York's massive, overfunded police force.
Galas are a massive fundraising opportunity for the NYC Police Foundation — a private organization that funnels corporate money into militarized policing — with the cheapest tickets going for a whopping $2,500.
Ostentatious galas like this — sponsored by billion-dollar corporations like CitiBank, ViacomCBS, Bank Of America, Amazon, and more — have allowed the NYC Police Foundation to serve as the NYPD’s secret piggy bank for the last 50 years!
Make no mistake: Police foundations are a threat to democracy and Black lives. By funneling private cash into policing outside of public oversight or accountability, the NYC Police Foundation is bankrolling police violence against Black New Yorkers.
And the NYC Police Foundation has skirted accountability at every turn. During New York’s 2020 budget negotiations, NYPD committed to publicly disclose all private contributions it receives. More than a year later, New Yorkers still have no clue how much money the NYPD receives from the Police Foundation. Or why the NYPD’s annual budget of $11 BILLION isn’t enough.
You read that right: The NYPD has a public budget of $11 BILLION a year — yet we still have no idea how much money the NYPD receives from the New York City Police Foundation.
Help spread the word on social media: Demand all financial contributions to the NYPD be disclosed and call on your elected officials to join us in this fight. We demand safety and accountability now.
