Report on the NYPD’s Stop-And-Frisk Policy

SUMMARY

The Committees on Civil Rights, Criminal Courts, Criminal Justice Operations, and Drugs and the Law issued a joint report on the New York City Police Department’s stop-and-frisk policy. The report reviews the historical background of the City’s stop-and-frisk procedures, the legal principles that apply, the justifications for the policy, the concerns that have been articulated about the effect of the stops on individuals and communities, and recent steps the NYPD has taken in an effort to increase public confidence in the policy. The report also sets forth a number of specific recommendations that would help ensure a better balance between the NYPD’s law enforcement objectives and the need to protect civil liberties and avoid alienating communities of color.