New York (N.Y.). Police Department. Demographics Unit

 Organization

Existence: circa 2002-2014

Historical Note

The New York Police Department Demographics Unit was a unit under the NYPD's Intelligence Division, created after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. The Demographics Unit was a key actor in the NYPD's secret Muslim surveillance program alongside the Intelligence Analysis Unit, the Cyber Intelligence Unit, and the Terrorist Interdiction Unit. The Demographics Unit facilitated and conducted widespread surveillance of communities, organizations, individuals, and religious and political leaders on the basis of religious activities/affiliations, political activities/affiliations, place of origin, language, ethnic background, and racial background. These functions involved collecting and generating information, usually through covert means, on individuals as well as places and organizations like mosques, cafes, student organizations, and businesses either owned or frequented by Muslim people or people of Middle Eastern descent. The Unit's activities stretched beyond New York City, including surveilling areas of Connecticut, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and mosques within 100 miles of New York City.

The unit was largely kept secret from the public and the NYPD denied its existence/function until it was confirmed to exist in 2011 by NYPD documents leaked by the Associated Press. In 2010, the Demographics Unit was renamed the Zone Assessment Unit. In 2014, the unit was dissolved, although official statements made at the time did not confirm whether those functions were assigned to different areas of the Department and, if so, where those functions were assigned to.

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Associative Relationship