Res. No. 604
Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, (S.3670/A.4617), also known as Daniel’s Law, to establish statewide emergency crisis response councils
By the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams) and Council Member Wilson
Whereas, According to local reporters, Daniel Prude, a 41-year-old African American father of five and former resident of Chicago public housing, suffered a history of sporadic employment and recently, while living with his sister in Rochester New York, was severely affected by the tragic accidental death of her son; and
Whereas, In response to his nephew’s death, Daniel began using PCP, and as a result of the erratic and paranoid behaviors he exhibited, his sister evicted him from her home; and
Whereas, According to relatives, on March 22, 2020, Daniel Prude headed to a shelter in Buffalo and called his brother Joe Prude, who picked him up and took him to the hospital for an evaluation after Daniel had exhibited erratic behaviors; and
Whereas, Within a few short hours, Daniel was released from the hospital and returned to his brother Joe’s home, Joe witnessed Daniel jump up scantily clad, and bolt out of the house into the frigid weather, which prompted Joe to call 911 for assistance; and
Whereas, A review of police body camera footage showed police officers having located Daniel Prude naked in the street at 3:00am on March 23, 2020, and shortly after showed one officer assuming a pushup stance and pressing Prude’s head to the pavement while others immobilized his legs; and
Whereas, Simultaneously, another officer employed a restraining technique known as “segmenting,” in which Daniel Prude, who was lying face down, was handcuffed, and had a mesh “spit hood” put on his head; and
Whereas, Within two minutes, Daniel Prude began to vomit and stopped breathing and was then taken to the hospital and put on life support where he died one week later; and
Whereas, During a subsequent interview with the Associated Press, Daniel’s brother Joe recounted a “particularly damning moment in the police video, one in which he said he could hear his brother saying fearfully, ‘they’re trying to kill me…’”; and
Whereas, According to the New York Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office, the death of Daniel Prude was ruled a homicide “caused by asphyxia in the setting of a physical restraint”; and
Whereas, In 2023, the New York State Legislature passed a law creating the Daniel’s Law Task Force of 2023 (Task Force) to examine current patterns of crisis response to behavioral health incidents in both New York State and nationally; and
Whereas, The Task Force recommended improvements with a focus on trauma-informed, community-based approaches, that would divert individuals from the criminal justice system during a mental health crisis; and
Whereas, The Task Force recommendations focused on establishing culturally humble, health-led response teams, and most significantly emphasized the need to treat mental health and substance use disorder crises from a public health perspective instead of relying on a default law enforcement response to a behavioral health emergency; and
Whereas, S.3670, sponsored by New York State Senator Samra G. Brouk, and companion bill A.4617, sponsored by New York State Assemblymember Harry Bronson, aims to build upon the recommendations of the Task Force with a focus on peer support and consent-based care through legislation that establishes a statewide emergency and crisis response council to encourage local governments to develop preventive, rehabilitative, crisis response and treatment services; and
Whereas, According to the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health, “in the past eight years, New York City Police Department officers have fatally shot at least 20 individuals experiencing mental health crises,” which highlights the need to pass S.3670/A.4614 to ensure that such instances are not solely responded to through a law enforcement lens and that resources are used to develop more appropriate and less lethal crises responses; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of York calls on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, (S.3670/A.4617), also known as Daniel’s Law, to establish statewide emergency crisis response councils.
LS#13211/LS#24806
7/8/26
CD