NYPD agrees to reform protest response tactics after lawsuits over 2020 protests

The NYPD will adopt new policies like deploying fewer officers and prioritizing deescalation over mass arrests.
The practice of kettling, or surrounding protesters before making mass arrests, will be banned.
A new senior NYPD role will oversee protest response to ensure rights are protected.
The reforms address lawsuits filed over civil rights violations during 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.
The settlement aims to allow peaceful protest while giving NYPD flexibility to respond to escalating unlawful activity.