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May 10, 2012

Report: NYPD’s "Stop and Frisk" Heavily Targets Black, Latino Men 
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A new analysis of the New York City Police Department’s controversial
"stop and frisk" program shows police have overwhelmingly targeted young
black and Latino men. The New York Civil Liberties Union found about 87
percent of people who were stopped by police last year were black or
Latino. While young black and Latino males between the ages of 14 and 24
make up less than 5 percent of the city’s population, they constituted
nearly 42 percent of stops last year. The NYCLU also found the program
was largely ineffective at recovering illegal firearms. Of those frisked
by police, less than 2 percent were found to have a weapon. Nine out of
10 people stopped were neither arrested nor ticketed. The report
analyzed electronic data initially concealed by the NYPD, but ultimately
released under orders from the State Supreme Court. The "stop and frisk"
program has drawn widespread protests for targeting young people of
color.

 

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