The NYPD released bodycam footage after New York City Councilman Youssef Salaam was stopped in a traffic stop

Newly elected New York City Councilman Youssef Salam was stopped while going to dinner with his family. Salam was accompanied by his wife and four children when the officers stopped him. When the officer asked what the traffic stop was about, the officer reportedly just said:

“Take care, sir.”

Salam and his supporters, who have stressed the importance of police transparency, are angry about this. The NYPD also released body camera footage on the X on January 28, which captured the interaction between Salaam and the police officer. In a statement issued by the New York Police, Salam illegally tinted the car's windows, and for this reason he was stopped.

The NYPD released the video of the traffic stop of Youssef Salam, and also claimed there was good cause to stop him.

On Friday, January 26, Youssef Salam was driving downtown with his family, when he was stopped by NYPD officers. According to Salam, when the officer asked why he was stopped, the officer did not answer. The officer allegedly asked him if he was working, and he said he was, the New York Times reported.

Despite claims by Salam and his allies against the police that they are not transparent when it comes to stopping New Yorkers, the department stated that the reason behind the traffic stop was illegally tinted windows on Yousef Salam's car. According to the statement released by the NYPD, the New York City Councilman also had a Georgia license plate. Mayor Eric Adams also defended the traffic stop.

The news station also reported the first interview that Salam gave after the incident. He reportedly stated that although the police were not obligated to state the reason for such arrests, it should have happened voluntarily. he added:

“We know that danger exists every time a Black man in particular gets behind the wheel of a car.”

Salam claimed that he did not take advantage of his position to avoid getting a ticket

The New York Times confirmed that the authorities did not reveal the identity or race of the officer who interacted with Youssef Salam during the traffic stop. The Crime Online website quoted Salam’s statement about the incident, where he said:

“This experience has amplified the importance of transparency in all police investigative arrests, because a lack of transparency allows racial profiling and unconstitutional arrests of all kinds to often go unreported.”

While many people, including Salam, spoke out against the suspension, many others defended it. Robert Holden, co-chair of the conservative Common Sense Caucus, believes he should resign from his position. According to Holden, Youssef Salam used his position to escape legal consequences. Joseph Borrelli, the Republican minority leader in the House, said:

“The sad thing is when you get into an accident where someone takes a break, does the right thing by you, and then twists the truth to get them into trouble.”

But Salam denied allegations of using his title to evade any judgement. He claimed he was about to change his car's registration from Georgia to New York. He also claimed that he was not aware of the rule that tinted glasses were illegal in New York City because they were legal in Georgia.