Based in New York City and founded by two black police officers Eric Adams and Noel Leader in 1995, this organization was created to address relations between the NYPD and the African American community. The NYPD administration has yet to acknowledge or authorize this group yet as of 2018 it remains active. In 2013, Adams stepped down as executive director to become the first African American borough president of Brooklyn. Most members are retired from their law enforcement agencies while remaining members of 100 Blacks.
Mission
As stated on the organization's website, their mission is as follows:
To fulfill our moral mandate to our creator, to enhance and cultivate the blessings that have been bestowed upon us
To serve as a model organization for individuals and other professionals in our communities so that we can again take our rightful place on the stage of history as a free, proud, and productive people
To offer a minimum of $1,000 a month to a worthy cause in the African American community
To be the vanguard for justice on the behalf of those who traditionally have no voice in society
To vigorously challenge racism, sexism, and all of the debilitating ism's that retard the growth of today's global community
To economically empower our people by pooling our resources
To uplift our people through education
Relationship with NYPD
While 100 Blacks is not recognized by the NYPD, they continue to work to advance their mission. In 2002, the New York Civil Liberties Union, 100 Blacks and the Latino Officers Association wrote to Police CommissionerRaymond Kelly and Hector Gonzalez, the chairman of the Civilian Complaint Review Board, to address allegations of misconduct involving 120 officers during January 2000 and June 2001. In addition there were further backlogs from 1998-1999 on reports of 18 additional police conduct complaints. CCRB data indicated that most cases of misconduct remained open at the department resulting from long delays from the NYPD. The reason stems from the police department disbanding the unit within the Advocate’s office which prosecutes cases referred to the NYPD sustained by the CCRB. Further discord between the 100 Blacks and the NYPD came to a head in 2003 when the advocate organization took the NYPD to federal court alleging the NYPD violated their rights by illegal wiretapping and biased investigations. 100 Blacks alleged the NYPD subpoenaed Verizon requesting certain telephone numbers. The case was later thrown out by the judge who stated the allegations were “baseless” and the suit was “totally miscast”. In 2014, members of 100 Blacks held a vigil for Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu, who were shot while sitting in their police cars.
Current Activities
In 2016, 100 Blacks teamed up with NYPD officer Edwin Raymond to combat quota based policing which requires officers to meet numerical goals forsummons given and arrests made each month. The lawsuit made against the department by Raymond and 11 other officers said the department “violated a 2010 state ban against quotas and the 14th amendment which outlaws racial discrimination”. They continue to support those who feel wronged by the NYPD offering legal and financial advice