The president of the NAACP is portraying the New York City Council�s vote to step up oversight of police as an important chapter in the organization�s 104-year-long campaign for civil rights.

Benjamin Jealous spoke at a City Hall rally Thursday afternoon. He�d been in the council chambers for the early morning vote to create a police inspector general and make it easier to bring racial profiling lawsuits against the force.

Jealous says the developments in the United States� largest city move the country �closer to being one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.�

Mayor Michael Bloomberg vehemently opposes the measures. He and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly say the changes will impede policing.

The measures passed with enough votes to override Bloomberg�s expected veto.

(AP)