Stop and Frisk pilot program starts in the city

The city's police department launched a pilot program Friday to try to ease people's minds about its controversial "Stop and Frisk" policy. Many people complain the policy uses racial profiling, but

News 12 Staff

May 1, 2009, 11:09 PM

Updated 5,643 days ago

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The city's police department launched a pilot program Friday to try to ease people's minds about its controversial "Stop and Frisk" policy.
Many people complain the policy uses racial profiling, but police say they'll hand out a card in hopes of clearing any misunderstandings. The 75th precinct in East New York is just one of three citywide precincts participating.
The card lists "common reasons" why police stop and frisk people - reports of suspicious or criminal behavior, or if the person appears to be carrying a weapon.
One resident doesn't think the card is good enough.
"It doesn't even explain anything," Vanel Lewis says. "This is ridiculous."
The advocacy group 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement agrees with Lewis saying that each person frisked should be given the officer's name and shield number, along with the specific reason why they were stopped in writing.