Number Of NYPD Stop-And-Frisks Hits New Record
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The NYPD stopped and questioned more than 680,000 people on the streets of New York City last year.
The stop-and-frisks totaled 684,330, which set a record dating back to 2002, when the NYPD began keeping a record of the stops.
LISTEN: 1010 WINS' Stan Brooks Reports
Podcast
New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) says that is a jump of about 600 percent. It's also a 14 percent increase over 2010.
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer said the practice must end.
"I am today calling on Mayor [Michael] Bloomberg to step out of the shadow of Commissioner [Ray] Kelly and lead on this issue. You cannot hide any more on an issue that is so compelling. The statistics are so obvious, the communities understand what's going on in the streets and you have to act," he said.
More than 4 out of 5 individuals stopped were black or Latino.
"We cannot allow this policy to continue that puts officers in harm's way, kids in harm's way and creates racial division in the city," Stringer said.
Of those stopped last year, about 12 percent were arrested or received summonses. The rest were not charged. Civil rights advocates claim many stops are made without proper cause. The department calls it an essential crime-fighting tool.
Share your thoughts in the comments section...
