Stop-and-frisks, in which officers stop passerby they believe to look "suspicious" and conduct a questioning and pat-down, have become an important part of policing in New York City over the past few years. While the NYPD argues that frisks have resulted in significant decreases in crime, the tactics used in determining what constitutes "suspicious" have become controversial. In certain targeted areas of the city, such as Brownsville, Brooklyn, there are 93 stops for every 100 residents annually. The rate of stop-and-frisks is even higher for black males between 15-34, who are stopped an average of 5 times a year in Brownsville, often at their own residences. While stop-and-frisks may lead to some additional arrests, the effects this practice has on the relationship between the community and the police are often more significant than the short-term results (ie. the 25 guns recovered from over 50,000 stops in 2006). Because many of the stop-and-frisks take place in and around the projects, many residents are profiled purely based on where they live.
Check out this great, comprehensive New York Times article on stop-and-frisks in NYC in recent years, and be sure to explore astounding statistics on the interactive map.
What do you think about stop-and-frisk policing? Have you ever been stopped-and-frisked? How does your community, race, or socioeconomic status shape your perspective on police profiling?
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