Stop and Frisk

“Stop and frisk” is the police policy of temporarily detaining individuals on the street, questioning them, and, at times, searching them. Under U.S. law, a police officer may stop a person if the officer has reasonable suspicion that the individual has engaged or is about to engage in criminal activity. Stop and frisk policies, particularly as practiced by the New York City Police Department (NYPD), have generated a tremendous amount of debate. While police departments argue that stop and frisk policies have played a significant role in reducing violent crime in many cities, research reveals significant racial disparities in police use of this practice. Amid the increased use of stop and frisk in predominantly African American and Hispanic communities, civil rights organizations have raised concerns ...