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NY Has Record Number of Stop and Frisks for 2008

By Jeralyn, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 01:54:07 PM EST
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The Center for Constitutional Rights has conducted a study of stop and frisks in New York for 2008. The findings: 531,000 New Yorkers were stopped and frisked and the numbers show "shocking racial disparities." 80% of those stopped were Black and Latino New Yorkers.

The NYPD is required to keep a database of its stop-and-frisks as a result of CCR’s 1999 racial profiling lawsuit filed in the wake of the Amadou Diallo shooting, Daniels v. City of New York.

Police stops-and-frisks without reasonable suspicion violate the Fourth Amendment, and racial profiling is a violation of fundamental rights and protections of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The full study is here.

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    NY Has Record Number of Stop and Frisks for 2008 | 22 comments (22 topical)

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    Link to full study (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by oculus on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 02:25:55 PM EST
    self-aborts.

    But is the implication that each and every stop and frisk was baseless?

    2009... (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by kdog on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 02:44:45 PM EST
    and still good to be white.

    I can't imagine what my arrest record would look like if I was subject to stop and frisk like my fellow citizens who are black and latino.

    Some observations (none / 0) (#2)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 02:34:32 PM EST
    from the data (link about mid-way down the page).

    Over 80% of the weapons yield from the stops were from Blacks and Latinos.

    Over 80% of the contraband yield was from Blacks and Latinos.

    45% of the NYPD is Black and Latino.

    Let's think about this (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by CST on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 03:30:38 PM EST
    If 80% of the stops were Blacks and Latinos, it would make sense that they would produce 80% of the weapons and contraband.

    Say you stop 80 black/latino people and 20 white people.  10% of all black/latinos have contraband and 10% of whites.  That would result in 8 cases of contraband from blacks/latinos and 2 from whites.  Meaning 80% of all contraband came from blacks/latinos.  That doesn't mean blacks/latinos are more likely to have contraband.  It's called algebra...

    Parent

    Nope. Your logic and example are flawed. (none / 0) (#6)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 03:55:44 PM EST
    What you're forgetting is that those stopped in NYC weren't stopped at random.

    Do you really think if you stopped all NY'rs at random that 80% would have weapons and/or contraband?

    From the data, ~80% of those stopped - of all races - were stopped for "Suspicious Bulge" or "Furtive Movements."

    And, oddly enough, ~80% of THEM had weapons and/or contraband.

    45% of the NYPD is Black or Latino. Is that the reason Whites were arrested at higher rate after they were stopped and frisked than Blacks and Latinos in NYC?

    I'm not suggesting racism does not exist in the NYPD, I'm suggesting the article is cherry-picking the data to suit it's agenda.

    Parent

    Shocking AND disappointing. (none / 0) (#7)
    by oculus on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 03:58:29 PM EST


    Parent
    Well Yeah (none / 0) (#8)
    by squeaky on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 04:07:41 PM EST
    What you're forgetting is that those stopped in NYC weren't stopped at random.

    They were stopped because they have dark skin.

    Parent

    They were stopped because they have dark skin (none / 0) (#12)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 04:43:50 PM EST
    Well, if you are right, and their dark skin is the only reason they were stopped, then that means 80% of all dark-skinned NY'rs are carrying weapons and/or contraband.

    I certainly don't think that's a truthful statement.

    Parent

    OK (none / 0) (#14)
    by squeaky on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 04:58:11 PM EST
    As I commented earlier, if the cops wanted to they could have 80% whites and come up with the same numbers.

    They know where to look. It is mostly drug and paraphernalia. Giuliani came up with the idea of targeting poor neighboorhods, East NY for instance, and doing massive arrests to beef up the numbers.

    Mostly weed.

    Parent

    So are yours (none / 0) (#9)
    by CST on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 04:10:48 PM EST
    There is also nothing to suggest that they stopped 100% of the people they saw with a "Suspicious Bulge" or "Furtive Movement". (Frankly, both those terms are waaay to vague for me and sound pretty random).

    The correlation btwn 80% stopped and 80% of weapons found is still a 1 to 1 ratio, and in no way indicates that they are more likely to have contraband and weapons just because they are more likely to be stopped.

    No I am not suggesting 80% of NYers have contraband, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a fairly high percent.

    Parent

    Well, (none / 0) (#11)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 04:19:54 PM EST
    There is also nothing to suggest that they stopped 100% of the people they saw with a "Suspicious Bulge" or "Furtive Movement".
    now we're stepping outside the actual data and into guesswork.

    I don't dispute the validity of your guess, I just point out that it's not part of the data in this report.

    Parent

    Not To Mention (none / 0) (#10)
    by squeaky on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 04:19:48 PM EST
    That if the NYC police wanted to they could even get a higher number of arrests for contraband if they were to target white in places that were sure to yield drugs or drug paraphernalia.

    But they are not so interested in targeting middle and upper middle class whites.

    And as far as your pointing out that 45% of police are POC well most darker skinned, and female police, answer to white bosses. Due to racism in the department, women and non white officers have zero latitude aka discretion, and are as a result feared most by dark skinned NYers.

    Parent

    What is the basis for your supposition (none / 0) (#13)
    by oculus on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 04:55:22 PM EST
    the entire command structure of the NYPD is Caucasian males?

    Parent
    The Basis (none / 0) (#15)
    by squeaky on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 05:02:10 PM EST
    Is hearsay from dark skinned people who have gotten arrested several times. They discuss the odds.

    Best chance for leniency is two white male cops, and the worst odds are two dark skinned police.

    Parent

    so maybe... (none / 0) (#18)
    by diogenes on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 06:28:13 PM EST
    Maybe white cops are TOO lenient, whereas black cops aren't afraid of being accused of being racist and can call them as they see them.
    Anyway, if the cops and discriminated based on age and 80% of their frisks were aged 65 and up, I doubt that 80% would have contraband.

    Parent
    Maybe (none / 0) (#20)
    by squeaky on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:35:14 PM EST
    You are delusional, no surprise though, you must be looking for more prison work. Do you get paid by the head?

    Too lenient, less prisoners, less $$ for you. Is that how it goes.

    Parent

    Are You Surprised? (none / 0) (#16)
    by squeaky on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 05:05:13 PM EST
    That there is racism and sexism within the NYC hierarchal structure?

    Parent
    Surprised? How could I be surprised? (none / 0) (#17)
    by oculus on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 05:14:31 PM EST
    So far you've given me hearsay on hearsay.  But yes, I'm sure there remain some racists and sexists in the NYPD command structure.

    Parent
    What A Nice World View (none / 0) (#19)
    by squeaky on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 08:31:34 PM EST
    Where the topic of this thread can be rationalized away, and the fantasy that NYC police, and more than likely most police in the US can be imagined as operating without any internal or external prejudice.

    Nice world you got there. Must also be that blacks and hispanics are predisposed to being criminals, judging the prison population.

    Parent

    still no answer (none / 0) (#21)
    by diogenes on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 07:43:45 PM EST
    No answer to the contention that two black cops are tougher than two white cops from the black criminal point of view.  Maybe it's true, maybe it isn't. In my kid's school the only teacher who clamped down on an acting out black fourth grader was the black one.  Was it "racial self-hatred"???

    Parent
    Hey (none / 0) (#22)
    by squeaky on Thu Feb 12, 2009 at 08:33:18 PM EST
    I can't help you if you have no clue as to power dynamics in this country. If you really are interested try painting your face black and putting on a wig. See how you are treated.

    Parent
    Giuliani's Goons (none / 0) (#4)
    by squeaky on Wed Feb 11, 2009 at 02:51:08 PM EST
    Are now Bloomberg's buffoons. Racists, too.


    NY Has Record Number of Stop and Frisks for 2008 | 22 comments (22 topical)

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