Abolish the Special Narcotics Prosecutor
The Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor (SNP) was created in 1971 as part of Governor Nelson Rockefeller’s failed war on drugs, which also included the destructive 1973 Rockefeller Drug Laws. SNP is a vestige of an ineffective, racist policy that must be abolished.
In the decades that the SNP has existed, it has done nothing to change or improve rates of drug use, nor has it decreased drug-related crime. Substance addiction in New York has grown because there has not been meaningful investment in non-punitive measures, such as voluntary drug treatment programs or overdose prevention centers. In 2022, 5,413 New Yorkers died due to opioid-related overdoses, roughly one death for every two hours. The SNP approach to combating substance addiction has not worked and has only fueled mass incarceration.
To justify the office’s existence, the SNP notoriously overcharges low-level drug sales and recommends exorbitant prison sentences. The majority of cases prosecuted by the SNP stem from NYPD “buy and bust” operations, where undercover officers buy drugs while pretending to be addicts. This type of policing and prosecution has not stopped or slowed the flow of drugs, instead, they are manufacturing crime and further destabilizing overpoliced Black and brown communities. In addition, SNP regularly prosecutes drug cases from the Bronx and Brooklyn in Manhattan. This type of forum shopping infringes on defendants’ right to a jury of their peers with people from their community.
The unelected official currently occupying this office is Bridget G. Brennan, who has been the SNP since 1998. Brennan could easily be removed with the approval of three of the five borough DAs or Albany could undo this lingering remnant of their racist drug war. Once abolished, the SNP budget should be redistributed to non-punitive programs that are proven to successfully treat substance addiction and invested in the communities most impacted by prosecution.
Past Campaigns:
Court Watching w Electeds
- Members of our coalition conducted a court watching training for members of the BLAC and Progressive Caucus, and invited City Councilmembers to observe arraignments in their respective boroughs to witness problematic bail setting practices and identify instances where investments in housing and treatment resources would help divert more people from Rikers. Councilmembers from Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens and their staff observed arraignments on multiple dates in November and December, accompanied by coalition members.
Prosecutor Accountability Week of Action (5/3/21-5/7/21)
- The coalition participated in a week of action to hold District Attorneys accountable, including two rallies demanding justice for Prakash Churaman and Anthony Sims, two men who were wrongfully convicted.
Arraignment Action 2021 (10/6/21)
- After organizing court watching sessions attended by various state legislators, members of our coalition held a rally alongside those state legislators calling on DAs and Judges to stop sending people to Rikers.
Release Not Rikers Action (10/28/21)
- In partnership with Court Watch NYC, coalition members rallied outside of Criminal Court to demand DAs stop using bail and pretrial detention to subject thousands of New Yorkers to unsafe and inhumane conditions in NYC jails.
12/7/21 Day of Action for Decarceration
- International Human Rights Day – A day of action at courthouses across the City to demand judges and District Attorneys stop sending people into jails that violate their human rights, and consent to the release of people currently held there.
2021 Manhattan DA Election Campaign
- The People’s Coalition for DA Accountability was formed in the lead-up to the 2021 Manhattan DA Election. Together with numerous community partners, directly impacted New Yorkers and advocates, the Coalition created a platform and engaged with candidates to gauge their positions on these important issues. Some members engaged in voter education, holding candidate forums and town halls, and designing voter engagement cards and voter guides that specified each candidate’s positions and were distributed throughout Manhattan. Following the election of Alvin Bragg, the coalition continued to engage with the District Attorney and seek accountability to the platform.
Accountability Town Hall with Alvin Bragg
- The coalition held a virtual town hall where members of the public, particularly those directly impacted by policies of mass criminalization, had an opportunity to ask the newly elected Manhattan DA about his plan to follow through on his campaign commitments.
Community Safety, Justice, and Alternatives to Carceral Systems
- The coalition hosted a Community Safety Townhall on February 10, 2022 with panelists Victor Dempsey, Alice Fontier, and Kristin Richardson Jordan to discuss how to achieve safety and justice for our communities.
10/28/20 Rally Against Cy Vance
- Coalition members joined allies to say goodbye to the 10+ years of Cy Vance’s rule over the criminal legal system in Manhattan and set the record straight on Cy Vance’s legacy as one devoted to racist, punitive prosecutions of almost exclusively low-income people of color.
Our Platform:
PCPA NYC
The People’s Coalition for Prosecutor Accountability NYC is a coalition of advocacy organizations, grassroots-led networks, and legal aid providers that have come together to hold NYC’s District Attorneys accountable.
