New York, May 9, 2002–Testifying at this morning’s Congressional Black Caucus hearing to examine the increase of police brutality in minority communities, National Urban League President Hugh B. Price called for a White House summit to be convened on the issue. In addition, Price called for monetary sanctions against those state and local districts with high levels of brutality and/or misconduct cases. He also stated that the President’s $1 million pledge towards efforts to address this issue is woefully inadequate if the kind of aggressive review and investigative policies needed are to be realized.

Price also criticized the Clinton Administration’s lack of timely attention to the issue. "For the past three years, the Administration has ignored our call for a White House Summit to address police misconduct," Price stated. "During that time the issue has escalated across the country–from California to New York–with each new case seemingly more horrific than the last. It’s past due time to stem the occurrence of these crimes and address these issues at the highest Federal level."

Echoing the measures he outlined in three open letters to President Clinton and discussed in meetings with Attorney General Janet Reno, Price called for an executive order that would withhold federal subsidies from those state and local districts where police misconduct continues to be pervasive. Increased funding, he stated, will assist in creating standardized practices for reviewing and investigating police misconduct cases. A "Best Practices" report–detailing which districts are complying most effectively with the procedures as well as those that are not–would also be compiled as part of this effort.

— more —

"The issues around police misconduct are two-fold," Price said. "First, there is the issue of excessive use of force and second, the use of dragnet techniques which flout civil rights and liberties. To adequately address these problems, we urge the Administration to spare no effort or expense to develop and institute Best Practices guidelines, clearly identify the districts that are complying with efforts to end police misconduct and penalize those where it is still a problem."

Founded in 1910, the National Urban League remains the premier social service and civil rights organization in America. The League is a non-profit, community-based organization headquartered in New York City, with 114 affiliates in 34 states and the District of Columbia.