New York City Comptroller Brad Lander on Tuesday released a new report showing a sharp rise in excessive use of force complaints and costly settlements tied to the New York Police Department under Mayor Eric Adams.
Between 2022 and 2023, complaints filed with the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) jumped 49%, reaching their highest level since 2013.
In Fiscal Year 2025, “Police Action” claims, many of which allege excessive force, were the most common tort claims filed against the city, with 6,082 cases and more than $113 million paid out in settlements.
“Our goal must be to prevent misconduct before it happens—rather than leaving communities to pay the price in harm, trauma, and costly settlements after the fact,” said Comptroller Brad Lander.
According to the comptroller’s analysis, the NYPD generated more tort claims in FY 2024 than any other city agency, with 9,249 filings, a 31.8% increase from the year prior.
A first-of-its-kind precinct-level review identified a cluster of precincts where complaints and settlements are concentrated, pointing to opportunities for targeted reforms.
Sixteen precincts saw excessive force complaints rise by more than 50% in recent years, resulting in $8.9 million in related settlements between 2019 and 2024.
Four precincts logged more than 100 CCRB complaints in the last three years alone: the 75th and 73rd in Brooklyn, and the 40th and 44th in the Bronx.
The highest settlement totals, exceeding $3 million each, came from central Brooklyn and the south and central Bronx, together accounting for more than $30 million.
The data shows that precincts with majority Black or Hispanic/Latino populations are disproportionately affected. In the four precincts with the most CCRB complaints, more than 85% of residents identify as Black or Hispanic/Latino.
The report also found that the NYPD’s Early Intervention System, designed to identify and address problematic officer behavior, does not track department-wide or precinct-level patterns as recommended by the Office of the Inspector General in 2019.
In addition to documenting the scale of complaints, the Comptroller’s Office highlighted the financial burden on New Yorkers. The city resolved 13,397 claims in FY 2024, paying out a record $1.94 billion in settlements.
Lander has called for agencies, including the NYPD, to assume financial responsibility for their own settlements rather than relying on the city’s General Fund. His office also launched a public Claims Dashboard earlier this year to track claims in real time.
To reduce excessive force and its costs, the Comptroller recommends strengthening oversight of the NYPD’s Early Intervention System, deploying precinct-wide training in high-risk commands, expanding transparency through quarterly reporting and requiring agencies to absorb settlement costs directly.
High-risk precincts identified include the 75th, 73rd, 40th, 44th, 46th, 77th, 52nd and several others with steep increases in complaints and payouts.
