New York City Councilman Yusef Salaam, a member of the Exonerated Five, says an NYPD officer pulled him over without being provided an explanation.
The traffic stop reportedly occurred on Friday night in Harlem and ended after Salaam said he identified himself as a city councilman, according to The Associated Press.
The NYPD states that Salaam was pulled over due to dark window tints beyond the legal limits, which violates state law. However, Salaam disputes this, saying he was not given a reason for the stop.
Salaam emphasized the importance of transparency in police stops, stating that the lack thereof can lead to racial profiling and unconstitutional stops going unreported.
The NYPD released a statement commending the officers for their conduct during the stop, describing it as “professional and respectful” and added that the officer “used discretion to allow the council member to complete his official duties.”
“This experience only amplified the importance of transparency for all police investigative stops because the lack of transparency allows racial profiling and unconstitutional stops of all types to occur and often go underreported,” Salaam said in a statement.
The stop took place at a time when there are measures to increase police transparency in NYC with the How Many Stops Act. City Council members will vote to override Mayor Eric Adams’ veto on Tuesday. Under this law, officers would be required to report all investigative stops, including low-level encounters with civilians.
Salaam’s election to represent a central Harlem district in the City Council last November came over two decades after DNA evidence led to the overturning of his wrongful conviction in the infamous 1989 Central Park Five case. Salaam was wrongfully imprisoned at the age of 15 and spent almost seven years in prison. He later became an activist, author and politician.