NYPD Does Use Quotas: Jury

The verdict is in on whether the NYPD is influenced by quotas when arresting suspects.

A jury of six men deciding a civil case brought by Carolyn Bryant, determined that police do indeed have a policy "regarding the number of arrests officers were to make that violated plaintiff's constitutional rights and contributed to her arrest."

From the New York Daily News:

Jurors came back with an invalid verdict, deciding there was no false arrest. But they still awarded punitive damages, prompting Bryant to accept a $75,000 out-of-court settlement.

Seth Harris, Bryant's lawyer, said the jury's decision could affect future litigation because, "other lawyers can now argue convincingly that the issue of quotas has been decided."

The city's lawyer, Zev Singer, refuted the claim that New York police utilize quotas.

"We are gratified that the jury found this was a lawful arrest," Singer said. "However, the New York City Police Department does not use quotas."

Bryant claimed she was injured when she confronted police who were arresting her son for drugs.

"I'm very happy justice was served," Bryant said.

Last year, secret recordings reveled that officers in Brooklyn's 81st precinct were being influenced by a quota system. In September This American Life profiled Adrian Schoolcraft, the officer who exposed the practice of false reporting and downgrading serious arrests to keep crime stats low.