NYPD Stupidly Destroys Tons of Clothing

by Josie Raymond · 2010-01-13 07:41:00 UTC
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You know that tinge of guilt you get when you throw a plastic water bottle into the trash if there's no recycling nearby? It's hard to believe that New York City officials didn't feel that, times a zillion, when they shredded a dozen truckloads of unworn clothing and sent tons more to an incinerator last year.

New York City routinely confiscates tons of clothing and footwear from counterfeiters. In years past, these items were donated to the city's needy. In 2009, however, they were destroyed as soon as they were no longer needed as evidence in the counterfeiters' criminal trials. The revelation comes from Jim Dwyer of the New York Times, who must be getting tips from all over since he reported on H&M's practice of shredding unsold merchandise. The United States Customs and Border Protection, by contrast, donated $78 million worth of wearable goods last year to groups in Los Angeles, Detroit, El Paso and San Francisco.

In the past, the Times notes, officials in New York donated such hauls to the New York City Clothing Bank and World Vision (which could surely do good with provisions to be supplied to earthquake-ravaged Haiti). Now the clothing bank and the NYPD are having a he said-she said; the police say no one requested the clothing, the bank says it made multiple requests. It doesn't make much sense. Even if the bank didn't specifically request the goods, who in their right mind would think it would turn down an offer to distribute them? The clothing bank said it especially relies on knockoffs to clothe men (women's goods more often get donated directly by clothing companies). Before the labels can be cut out and the clothes given to people in need, the trademark holder must sign off on the donation, which almost always happens smoothly.

The cops screwed up big time, and now that they've been lambasted in the press, don't expect it to happen again. Their reputation is now on the trash heap, and that's one thing they won't let get to the incinerator.

Photo credit: photine

Josie Raymond has reported from the streets of the South Bronx, written for several magazines that folded (not her fault) and fixed thousands of typos.
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