Flawed “stop and frisk” policy in New York City

Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch says “What gets lost many times in the quiet of a court room is that New York City police officers are trained observers who are skilled in spotting illegal weapons.”

So how good are these trained observers? A detailed ACLU analysis of police data reveals that less than 2% of those stopped actually had weapons. No wonder the NYPD refused to divulge the data — in violation of the state’s Freedom of Information law — and a court had to compel them to do so.

Other scathing reports have come from the Vera Institute of Justice, the New York State Attorney General, and the Center for Constitutional Rights.

Not only is “stop and frisk” of dubious constitutionality, it just doesn’t work.

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