NYSBA Supports NY City Council Efforts to Give Journalists Access to Police Communications

In a letter sent to the NY City Council, NYSBA expressed its support for legislation (Int.1460-2025) that would allow journalists to maintain access to police communications. The legislation is now before the Committee on Public Safety. A hearing has been set for November 19^th.   

NYSBA and other organizations presented NYPD with a reasonable proposal to allow access to police communications by professional journalists in February 2023.  Unfortunately, for the past two years, NYPD has decided not to engage in this issue.  At the same time, it continued to deploy encrypted communications technology in New York City that denied journalists access to police communications.

Int. 1460-2025 requires NYPD to adopt a written policy that allows real-time access to encrypted radio channels for professional journalists and emergency service organizations.  It defines a professional journalist as a person who qualifies under the New York State Shield law as outlined in NY Civil Rights Law §79h and has received media press credentials issued by the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment.  At the same time, the policy protects sensitive and confidential information.  We support this reasonable approach.

Journalists have had access to police communications for nearly 90 years.  To date, NYPD has failed to provide any examples where police officers were placed in danger by giving professional journalists access to police communications.

While supporting the NY City Councils efforts, we also requested assistance in getting Governor Hochul to approve legislation regarding access to police communications that passed the New York Assembly (A.3516) and New York Senate (S.416) earlier this year.  That legislation is currently awaiting Governor Hochul’s signature. 

You can access the proposed New York City Council legislation (Int.1460-2025) here.

You can access our testimony here.