To Lower Murder Rate, NYPD Will Just Stop-and-Frisk Everyone

[xchrom]

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2012/05/to_lower_murder.php

Not sure how the NYPD connected these two.

Yesterday, a spokesperson for the boys of blue heralded the city's low murder rate - a number that has dipped 21 percent in recent months - as a sign of victory for their controversial stop-and-frisk policy.The procedure, attacked by City Council and the New York Civil Liberties Union alike for racial profiling, has reached an alarming rate of use: in the first three months of this year, 200,000 New Yorkers were touched up and down by the NYPD; a 10 percent increase from the same time last year.

Although the low murder rate is something to praise, we here at Runnin' Scared are curious to how much stop-and-frisk actually contributed to those numbers. Regardless, it's evident in the NYPD statement that the authorities have a different mentality: to protect and frisk... everyone.

Thanks to the work of fellow Voice writer Graham Rayman, we know that the stop-and-frisk policy came to fruition because of two reasons: the stress of filling a monthly quota and a top-down attitude from the head honcho, Mr. Ray Kelly, that encourages officers to use it. So its ascendancy is no mystery; if your boss is all for it, you're all for it. This trickle-down mentality will naturally spread, translating into its application on anyone who has a shred of shadiness in the eyes of the police.

For example, a study by the NYCLU released just four days ago shows this law and order semi-paranoia in full effect: in 2011, the NYPD stop-and-frisked so many young African-American men that they actually exceeded the number of that demographic in New York. In other words, either the cops stop-and-frisked every young black man in the City twice or we are seeing signs of an authoritative obsession.

[zbdent]

1. Makes you wonder what the murder rate would be in a totalitarian police state ...

you know, the kind that could have been implemented by Bush43 9/12/2001, with the admiration and unending cheers of Republicans (and some "DINOs&quot ...

[Downwinder]

2. What percentage of murderers are pedestrians?

[hobbit709]

3. But will the murder by police increase?

[PotatoChip]

4. The whole policy is disturbing, but wow

check out the OP's last paragraph from the article. Singling out one demographic just adds insult to injury.

Kind of makes me think of that well known quote- "First they came for the...."

For example, a study by the NYCLU released just four days ago shows this law and order semi-paranoia in full effect: in 2011, the NYPD stop-and-frisked so many young African-American men that they actually exceeded the number of that demographic in New York. In other words, either the cops stop-and-frisked every young black man in the City twice or we are seeing signs of an authoritative obsession

[MadHound]

5. So when is some enterprising group such as the ACLU going to take this policy to court?

It seems to me to be unconstitutional on the face of it.

[Riftaxe]

6. Would not rate high enough in media attention to

be worth their effort.

Sure it is a flagrant violation of civil rights, but the ACLU has a history of picking and choosing only cases that attract the media.

As a long time supporter, even i can see that the ACLU has made the jump to a "Self Interested" non profit, so i have not contributed since 2003.

[NutmegYankee]

7. It appears to be working towards that goal.

The NYCLU is the New York affiliate of the ACLU. They sued to get the data used in the story, which is likely going to be used to build a winnable court case.

[Taitertots]

8. Any drop in crime amongst the people is offset by State Crime against the people n/t