The Issue of Stop and Frisk Heads to Washington

A coalition of New York city and state lawmakers is in Washington Thursday to voice concerns about the NYPD’s controversial stop and frisk policy.

Members of the New York State Black Puerto Rican Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus and members of the New York City Council Black Latino and Asian Caucus held a closed door session with the US Justice Department.

They are trying to prove the NYPD’s stop and frisk policy violates people’s civil rights so the Justice Department can investigate the practice.

They cited an analysis by a civil rights group which found that of about 685,000 people stopped by New York Police, 87% of them were Blacks or Latinos.

New York lawmakers also met with representatives from other states to garner support.

Assemblyman Karim Camara said they don’t want to abolish the practice, just put an end to what they see as unconstitutional racial profiling.

Bills are pending in both the state Senate and Assembly to create an independent inspector general to monitor the police department.

Both Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly have said stop and frisk makes city streets safer.