I appreciate the Police Commissioner's attempt to improve relations. But the reforms presented today don't address the core of the problem. Innocent people don't like to be stopped, searched and touched. Walking down the street doesn't mean you are acting suspiciously. Having the same skin color doesn't make you a criminal suspect. Police need to do a better job targeting the bad guys, 'cause they're losing the respect of the good guys.

As opposition mounts against the NYPD's Stop, Question and Frisk policy, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said today reforms are being made. In a letter to the City Council, Kelly announced an early warning system is being created to identify officers who have received public complaints on their street stops. In addition, precinct commanders will be held accountable at weekly meetings, and 1,500 officers who work in the highest-crime areas will be retrained on proper methods.

Commissioner Kelly hopes the steps will "increase public confidence" in Stop, Question and Frisk procedures. But the Executive Director of the New York Civil Liberties Union called the letter "nothing more than a desperate public relations attempt." What do you say?

Do you welcome the changes proposed by Police Commissioner Ray Kelly today? Will they make a difference? What suggestions do you have to improve police street stops in New York City?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

John

I think if we handle this is a manner where the person being stopped and search is approached in a manner of respect and dignity, and not that he has committed a crime example the office approaches the person in question introduces himself I am officer Jon Doe then the officer explains to the person what was the reason why he feels it necessary to stop and search, this will advise the person what he did to cause the stop and search It might educate the person not to do what he did again.after searching and they find nothing they apologize for the inconvience he caused the moral is show respect and dignity.

John S.

I agree with the ACLU. It's funny that he said and did absolutely nothing until he was pushed to do so by the legal system. I think "stop and frisk" is not working, and they should stop this policy immediately. The way to keep young people from getting into trouble, and to keep crime levels down in general, is to put an end to poverty. We need to improve peoples lives so that they are more happy and confident. Everyone should have access to a quality education; they must have hope and believe that a good future awaits them.

Barri
Jackson Heights

WHEN IDENTIFIED AS UNLAWFUL STOPS, WHEN DOES IT NOT BE UNLAWFUL FOR A WHITE INDIVIDUAL? PROPORTIONALLY SHOULD HAVE ZERO TO DO WITH IT. MY SON, WAS DOING NOTHING WRONG WHEN HE WAS STOPPED AND ASKED FOR HIS I.D. HE WAS WALKING HOME FROM WORK, "FITTING A DESCRIPTION" IF YOU WILL. NOT BEING ADDED TO THE CLASS LAWSUIT MEANS HE DOES NOT FIT THE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT IS FAIR, HE LOSES TWICE.

JOE, BAY TERRACE

If Ray Kelly says this is what's needed, I'll go along with him -- he and Mayor Bloomberg are the only participants in this so-called "debate" who have the safety of the public as their highest priority -- the Executive Director of the NYCLU has an agenda that puts public safety second, and I'd have to say that the politicians opposing the Stop and Frisk policy put the public's safety at an even lower level than that.

Bruce
Upper West Side
Manhattan

Hi John,

A police commissioner is sending a letter to the City Council. What a joke. So what clues are they going to look for now. I personally think that they are drunk with statistics. Either you frisk or you don't frisk. So up until now are they trying to tell us that they were doing it all wrong right along. So now they must start to retrain the Chain Of Command.

THE PROBLEM IS THEY HAVE ALL BEEN AROUND TO LONG ALREADY. THAT GOES FOR RE-TREADS = THE MAYOR = THE CITY COUNCIL= THE COMMISSIONER AND ALL OF THE OTHER HANGERS ON THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR FAR TO LONG ALREADY AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED THEY HAVE JUST TAKEN THERE JOBS FOR GRANTED. WE ARE SUFFERING FOR ALL OF THIS. DO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT KELLY WAS IN A VERY HIGH OFFICE IN WASHINGTON AND NOW HE IS GOING TO RE-TRAIN HIS STAFFERS AFTER BEING HERE SO LONG. I THOUGHT HE WAS ALWAYS THOUGHT OF AS A TOP COP.

Thank you John,
maxxiee
mp

Hi John,

About SNF, I think It would not cause as much of a problem as it has been if the police treated minorities with respect when they SNF, But they don't. They slam them against walls or car or whatever. And I have seen this myself. And they don't want to hear anything. Don't think about asking them for their badge or you'll really be in trouble.

Treat everyone the same and their would not be a problem.

Helen from Queens

John,

Kelly’s actions will increase the efficiency of the cops in their stop and frisk actions. As a result, there will be more stops.

The violation of the 4th Amendment continues.

Joe
Port Richmond, SI

As a minority (by the way, news said this morning that people of color and bi-racial backgrounds are out numbering caucasians, YAY!!!) who was married to a police officer, has brothers and inlaws not to mention friends whose spouses and sons were or are in the NYPD my opinion is that S&F is harming NYPD and the city of NY. I am also a mother and aunt to numerous males and had the personal experience of having my sons harassed for no reason other than the NYPD has a quota (fact, not fiction). The fact that they have family in NYPD does NOT give them a free pass, on the contrary today's PO doesn't care that your father or uncle "is or was on the job" if anything it angers them (really it pisses them off) if you even mention it. Unfortunately, there are too many in NYPD who themselves are barely more then thugs or bullies themselves (NYPD's standards to get into the force have woefully declined steadily need i mention the recent rape case of the PO in Washington Heights, that badge & gun makes alot of insecure people feel "superior and untouchable" ).

It's disgusting to say that I now find myself telling my sons, to be careful when they're out , not just of the regular guy who might cause trouble but also of the police who might stop them. It is shameful that when i was a kid we were raised to look up to the Police and thought of them as our protectors and now my sons who are not teens hanging out but adult men with careers and families of their own have to be warned by me to be careful of Police, why, because they are 'minorities, and men of color'.

Vincent

One way for the NYPD to get around the racial profiling accusations would be to randomly stop an equal number of folks who don't fit any criminal stereotype, e.g., nuns, pregnant women, hipsters with iPads, people wearing plaid, midgets, guys walking chihuahuas, old people with Sponge Bob tee shirts, et. al.

And the police should give everyone they stop a button reading "They Got Me!", so that getting stopped and frisked would become a status thing such that people would intentionally stroll through bad neighborhoods, making furtive moves in an effort to establish reasonable suspicion, if not probable cause, for a search.

Soon, those who've been stopped will be referred to as "Friskies," joining Yuppies, Yippies, Hippies, Hipsters, Gen X & Y-ers, and other groups that comprise the lexicon of urban stereotypes. All this will keep the police so busy that they'll have no time to fight the crime that the stop and frisk program has been deterring. Then, giddy with success, they'll be able to expand the program to better neighborhoods as well, proving, once and for all, that, just because you're law-abiding, you don't have to remain anonymous.

BIG ANDY
Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn

Judging by the calls from a certain segment of the population in this city it is clearer than ever how big a racial divided there really is in this city. For all those white males who said they wouldn't mind being stopped and frisked, that's really easy to say when it almost never happens to them. I would really like to see how they react the first time it happens, or the second, I would really like to know what they would have to say if it happened three times.

They also need to realize these Stop and Frisks are not some friendly interaction with uniformed police officers, usually this activity involves plain clothes detectives jumping out of a car like thugs. These cops do not patrol the area and there is little to no other interaction with the communities where this happens. This is a direct result of a total lack of beat cops in the so-called high crimes neighborhoods, and harkens back to the same "special units" like the one that killed Diallo. Just like the racist school system that marginalizes minority children, the way the New York Police Department does not give minority communities the same service or respect that the white residents of this city.

RL
The Bronx

YOU COULD ONLY PUSH PEOPLE BUT SO MUCH WENT A RIOT BREAKS OUT IN THIS CITY MAYBE THEN BLOOMBERG WILL LISTEN.

PEDRO
BRONX

The stops are not Lawful, so they can't be legal. Police are public officials, the people that are being harrassed are the Public. The people are the Masters of the public servants Artificial entities do not have rights over people in their Proper Person under the Constitution. People have to stand on their Constitution.

Sharrif

Stop and frisk does prevent some crimes, but at too high a high cost. Giving a badge, a gun, and unchecked power to a selected few is not the NYC I want to be a part of. The Commissioner's vision of a "safe" city is my nightmare. A society which is willing to give up its liberties for security, deserves neither.

Frank, Sunset Park, Brooklyn

Its used to scare the General Populace. Its Unlawful, Colorable, Roman Slave Law.

Alex

John: The fact is that the program works, Firearms are being taken off the street. If the people that object to this are offended, would they prefer to have the confiscated guns used on them in a crime.

José-Corona

John from Ridgewood, by your logic I guess we could be asked to wear helmet cameras and have probes put up our butts in the name of safety. No! The United States was not founded by a bunch of guys willing to put up with abuse in the name of "safety."

Frank - Sunset Park

I wonder what the criteria police officers will be asked to use to stop, question and frisk?

It is a know fact that the majority of Marijuana arrests in NY are made because officers have asked to subjects to 'empty their pockets' and only then has it 'become in plain view' and eligible for arrests.

George from Jackson Heights

Stop and Frisk are essential tools to a police officer to prevent crime and take guns off the street. As statistics show, guns have been taken off the street using the Stop and Frisk policy. What should change and be improved on is police officers behavior during stops and should have a better level of professionalism during a stop and explain it better to the public.

Chris from Brooklyn

Cops are wrong doing what there doing. People living in a place where crime is coming down and are giving out because of stop and frisk are wrong. All I can say "2 wrongs don't make a right" We have a lot of Intelligent people here. LETS DO IT RIGHT.

Patrick
Battery Park

The question those complaining about stop and frisk aren't asked.

How many more dead and wounded black teens, and young black men, little girls sitting on stoops, etc. are you willing to tolerate to stop or "improve" stop and frisk policing? Just asking. Do you really think there are no consequences? Would ten more dead, or 20 more dead per month be acceptable? Just asking what would appear to be an obvious question. And if there are 100 more deaths or 200 more a year would that be satisfactory?

Mike from Brooklyn

When NYC did this become a police state?

Mark from Astoria

Stop and Frisk violated my freedom of religion on two occasions. I am a believer of Santeria and I carry luck charms, herbs, and garlic on my person to dispell evil. On one stop and frisk incident, the police officer immediately questioned my belief in Jesus and attempted to preach to me. On another occasion I had purchased medicinal plants from a Botanica and the stop-and-frisk officer questioned me in a very accusatory way, like if the plants for getting high or some other reason.

Louis, Sunset Park

The bottom line is that police-community relations will never improve until Stop, Question, & Frisk is removed from NYPD practice. It has created this war of them versus us. When the police stop an individual, they slam them across the pavement, treat them like animals, and when the police come up empty, they expect you respectfully walk away. Forget about asking the officers for their badge or contest their professionalism or behavior; you'll be going down for disorderly conduct. This must stop!

Eddie.

The level of understanding of the law is abysmal. The 14th amendment says it all, that is why the federal magistrate imposed the judgement. It is against the law, unless you are considered undeserving of that being applied due to your ethnicity. Most that applaud this are not the ones being targeted...period.

K
Harlem

police use this to make money. its called an overtime arrest.they provoke confrontation.are paid at the overtime rate. usually at or close to the end of the shift

Anonymous

Please ask 3-Dog why was he stopped 13 times. Maybe his pants were on "low".

D.
Harlem

How about our constitutional right against unreasonable search and seisure? And it is simply wrong. This is only proof of a second class citizenry. The founding fathers feared a marginalized and disinfrancised public would rightfully pose the greatest threat to our governments survival, as it did for colonial rule. Creating a class of falsely convicted felons who are unemployable and can't truly participate in society can lead only to another revolution.

- Norma a worried citizen, Brooklyn

Police and the politicians need to dress-down and go into these areas and meet the people whom the system subjugates. The police need a softer approach and to treat people like human beings. Spread love, not attitude and hate.

BC from Harlem.

Having all these people running around with badges, guns, and unchecked power is reminiscent of 1943 Germany. How much are we willing to give up for the illusion of security? For the Commissioner, the answer seems to be "everything."

Frank, Sunset Park, Brooklyn

Brooklyn South Precincts are planting drugs, guns, etc on the minorities in the communities. I've witnessed it beforehand, with my very own family. However, the young man now has a Felony charge on his record for a firearm that didn't exist. This was in ”2004” and were still outraged !!!!! Even after the individual moved on with his life.

Shayna

Something that works should be left alone. Statistics prove that it works and takes guns, drugs and purps off the street. If they don't target the guilty who are they going to target. There is nothing racial about it just reality. People must stop being afraid off the truth.

Sincerely,
Jordan
Whitestone, NY

I'm a 24yr old hispanic female I've been stopped with my boyfriend whose puerto rican numerous times in queens for walking together.. one example I can recall is when I was once pregnant and I was parked at bus stop which I wasn't aware of since it was dark and I didn't see the sign they took me out the car called for a female officer to search me because a male officer wanted too & he was! Until I reminded him he couldn't search a female! Needless to say they found not one thing!

Alcira

stop and frisk is racial profiling pure and simple, and it's about power and control. I'm a middle aged white woman and I hate the fact that because of that I am privelged by not being stopped, even when I yell at cops, which I have done, once when a couple of cops were rousting some young black men for no reason. I screamed at them, but they ignored me, I was invisible to them. They just kept harassing those kids, pushing them up against the wall.

meryl from manhattan

Two points:

The 73 and 75 precinct led the city in people stopped. They also led the city in shooting victims and homicide victims, yet the cops are bad guys?

At many shooting scenes, the cops are the only ones who care. The neighborhood that won't snitch on their own will be the first to blame the police for not being around to stop the shootings.

Jim

If the cops really want to find drugs and guns then concentrate white kids more. Frankly I've never seen more illegal contraband than on white kids at college parties. And I grew up in the projects. These policies are an excuse to justify racism.

- Norma

Hey John:

Are these people kidding me or what. First they call on the Commissioner to do something, he makes some changes to enhance the supervision of the program and now they complain that and question why he's making changes. These people need to wake up and stop the finger pointing. The program works and it works well. Many viewers have said if have nothing to hide than you have nothing to worry about. Wake up people and let the commissioner do what he does best. Police the greatest Police Department in the "world"

Thanks John
Dennis
Westerleigh, Staten Island

I observed between 7-10 police officers surround a teenager to question him about an assumed stolen phone. It was an outrage.

Chamika from Harlem

My name is Omar from Harlem,I think the Police should do their job in a professional way meaning no stereotyping in any form.I been stop and frisk one time and they thought I had weed with me may be just because I'm black and I have dreads.Sometimes they harass people too bad because of them color.

I just would like to put an input on this topic of stop and frisk, I believe that it is very necessary in my area which is E.96th St Madison Ave-125th St. Lexington Ave. this has been a area of crime and drugs for many years.

Travis
Upper East Side

First I would like to rebut C.B. comment, yes we are the one’s who needs to police our children. However she made a comment about the police being attacked or hurt on duty...the reason for that is because the cops nowadays are not respected and it does not entirely fall on the fact the certain communities has bad apples amongst them. You have to give respect to get respect! I feel the it’s time for Bloomberg & Kelly to go...Stop, Question and Frisk is preformed here in Harlem a lot. Why? because I strongly believe the new recruits that are being placed specifically placed in the black and Latino communities. If caller C.B. walk our community like she suggested and walk a regular community downtown lets say around 96 Street Asphalt Green area, First Avenue down to 3 avenue and further downtown to the village area you will not see a as many police as you would in our black & Latino communities.

I will agree that the Stop, Question and Frisk applies in some cases in our community but I’m now convinced that it is based on racial profiling, examples my 64 year old mother & I walked out of our apartment building to have 2 very young cops Hispanic the other Caucasian tell my mother “ma’am move from in front of the building you are blocking the entrance for other people” or my 19 year old son and I being pulled over because I have legal tints on my S.U.V windows...for me to be told “shut your mouth” because I ask why I'm being pulled over with my kids.

Yvette

Stop question and frisk is a joke. They don't stop and question you as I have been witness to. On hunts point the cops (DT's) jump at you asking what you have on you handcuff you and search you there is no questioning until after the fact as they are conducting the search. Now please tell me if this is about getting guns off the street why are narcotics detectives stopping people for no reason example a man(Hispanic) who just parked his car(that had tinted windows) and was talking to his wife as he was outside of the car the narcotics detective pull up behind him and from a distance screamed I know you have something on you where is it. After searching him and found nothing on him then searched the car that was parked and he was no longer in. Now please tell me how they are doing there job correctly. What was suspicious about him? him being Hispanic and looks young? That shouldn't be suspicious not in that area of the Bronx. If you ask me they are taking advantage of the badge and their position. I have never thought Bloomberg did good for this city and now he has done worse. I get wanting to get people with guns off the street, but stopping people with no real reason is. People getting stopped and have a bag of weed on them not a gun, are now going to jail not getting a ticket but jail and causing backups in the courts just because these cops are taking advantage of the badge.

E
manhattan

Stops And Frisk not only Prevent crime by removing weapons from street, it also prevent crime because Criminal and Terrorist know that they could be stopped, so, some of them don't try because the possibility of being stopped. Image a society where Criminals and terrorist would be able to transporting illegal objects knowing they will not be stopped. No less than the police, is the community that need to know how to behave when they are stop by the Police.

Ruben

WAIT UNTIL THEY “STOP AND FRISK” THE REST OF AMERICA AND WE’LL SEE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT! YOU SEE NO PROBLEM WITH IT BEING DONE IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR BECAUSE YOU THINK IT’S TO “PROTECT YOU”. BUT WHEN THEY BEGIN TO START IN ON YOU – WE’LL ALL SIT AND LISTEN AS YOU MAKE “YOUR COMPLAINTS”!

DANETTE

I find it distressing that the NYPD, who intimidate by sheer numbers with hands on their guns, are deemed a preventive measure. Yet when a group of citizens gather to protect an injustice, the media and the police are quick to label the group as threatening and potentially dangerous. Let's be brutally honest and acknowledge that stereotyping is rooted in fear which is bred of ignorance. Putting on a blue uniform and carrying a badge and gun does not automatically cleanse the cops of their prejudices. In too many cases, the gun and badge seem to give the cops an exaggerated sense of their own power and untouchable under the law.

Most important, why don't the Mayor and Commissioner admit that maybe, just maybe racism is at the core of this situation?

Anonymous

I think these policies also go for under cover detectives,as well.I am Latina but,come across as Caucasian,fair skin and blue eyes.When I was in my 20's,in Nyc,I saw my friend when we were pulled over, he was darker than me, and he had hiv and they beat him bloody.I was a teacher in Florida for 13yrs and never had a problem.My father passed away and I moved up to New York so my mother wouldn't be alone with my NaNa who has dementia.The neighborhood we lived in was drugged infested.I have anxiety,I am physically disabled on a walker and i went into a store,came out and was arrested.I asked why was i being arrested,they told me to shut up and I know why.Put in a van with all men,frisked by men.When My lawyer did not believe me even though they had no proof.I am on meds,for post traumatic stress disorder, one bottle was in my purse and they said i sold it even though they said they had marked money they couldn't find any.My lawyer wanted to give me 7yrs probation.My father served his country his whole life as have my aunts and uncle.If you get arrested,you can't teach.I was in school for 8yrs and graduated with a 4.0 GPA.Thank God for my mother and for all the Senators she talked to.However I was given probation for a year and I have a record.Jail was the most horrific thing i had been through,cops mistreated me.I was innocent.If we weren't so poor, I'd leave Nyc. thank you for listening..

Samadhi

As a lifelong Harlem resident, I resent the NYPD’s mentality that all blacks and latinos both young and old are potential criminals. I am retired and have no criminal background, yet I have been stopped numerous times by officers who carry themselves in an unprofessional manner either through their actions or how they address you. I’m pretty sure that this technique is applied as a means of intimidation, since I’m usually reminded to “lose the attitude”. Well, as someone who poses no threat, puts up no resistance, utters no profane language, carries no weapon, and does not drink or use drugs, they might as well arrest me for “possession of attitude” (since they can’t get me on anything else) , because that attitude will be mine to keep. Good luck with with trying to improve police-community relations.

Ronald

This is wrong, I never heard of Oklahoma frisking white guys like Timothy, a true criminal.

Stevie

I understand police stopping and frisking people who are poor and minority but where are the police officers that stop and frisk these school kids that's predominate white where they shoot up schools. These cops are wasting their energy.

Frankie from Williamsburg

I too have been stopped and treated very badly by cops. I am white. I was shaking and the girl that they stopped with me was crying. She was white too. They were very intimidating and it was a horrible experience. I wanted to make a complaint but after a lot of research everybody said we never win, so I dropped it.

naila from astoria

This is ko from the bronx and the police always messing wit me and my homies for no reason we can be goun to a var or club get a life alit of cops just ve so gungry,for a collar #know for sure b4 you frisk not beacause a persons color