About Stop, Question, and Frisk Stop, question, and frisk (SQF) is a tactics used in New York City by police officers to help lower crime rates. This tactic entails police officers to stop any suspicious person on the streets if they have reasonable suspicion about a crime that happened, is happening, or is about to happen and question the suspect. If the officer believes the suspect is armed and dangerous, they have the authority the do a quick pat-down of the suspect’s outer clothing to see if they have any weapons on them; this is known as frisking. “From the perspective of New York City police officials, these stops are essential to maintaining public safety. From the perspective of many citizens who are stopped by officers, the encounters
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In many communities, rather than using SQF for an advantage to the community, police officer use it to gain control over citizens, they use it to racially target minority groups, and also police officer who are stopping innocent people and making false claims. Police officers use SQF as a way to control the community, but at times these officers tend to get carried away and stop innocent people for no reason. Whenever these individuals try to confront these officers they “write up summons for things as little as disorderly conduct, which leads to fines, which a lot of poor families cannot pay. And if they do not show up in court for these summonses, they can end up with a more serious situation.” This factor causes more problems rather than trying to diminish them. “In 2011, 53 percent of those stopped were African-American, 34 percent were Latino and only nine percent were white and it was about the same numbers in the first three months of 2012.” Although statistics may show that African American and Hispanics commit majority of violent crimes that happens within a community, not every African American and Hispanic person will commit a crime or is a criminal. This factor is not a reasonable suspicion or probable cause for an officer to stop, question, and frisk everyone from these minority groups repeatedly to the point of harassment. Often time police …show more content…
There must be a maximum amount of stops to be performed on individuals and groups daily, in which should be noted, if there are numerous reports about any racial profiling that is believed to be happening with a certain police officers, investigation on the police must be done, and also programs that help to solve crimes at the root should be implemented. With the maximum amount of SQF being done daily to individuals and groups, there will be a greater chance of police officers using the amount they have wisely. If a limit is given, officers will not go overboard by targeting the same people, rather they will be inclined to try and use those on people who they truly suspect of trying to or actually committing a crime. In order to see a true reflection, all stops must be written down. If a corrupt police officer is working in an area for a lengthy period and people are aware of it and there are evidence such as numerous reports being filed, there should be an investigation on the police officer and drastic actions to try to correct this problem should be taken, whether it may be suspending the officer or sending them to probation classes. “Programs like the Safe Streets program in Baltimore and the CeaseFire program in Chicago enlists both former prison convicts to go
In many communities, rather than using SQF for an advantage to the community, police officer use it to gain control over citizens, they use it to racially target minority groups, and also police officer who are stopping innocent people and making false claims. Police officers use SQF as a way to control the community, but at times these officers tend to get carried away and stop innocent people for no reason. Whenever these individuals try to confront these officers they “write up summons for things as little as disorderly conduct, which leads to fines, which a lot of poor families cannot pay. And if they do not show up in court for these summonses, they can end up with a more serious situation.” This factor causes more problems rather than trying to diminish them. “In 2011, 53 percent of those stopped were African-American, 34 percent were Latino and only nine percent were white and it was about the same numbers in the first three months of 2012.” Although statistics may show that African American and Hispanics commit majority of violent crimes that happens within a community, not every African American and Hispanic person will commit a crime or is a criminal. This factor is not a reasonable suspicion or probable cause for an officer to stop, question, and frisk everyone from these minority groups repeatedly to the point of harassment. Often time police …show more content…
There must be a maximum amount of stops to be performed on individuals and groups daily, in which should be noted, if there are numerous reports about any racial profiling that is believed to be happening with a certain police officers, investigation on the police must be done, and also programs that help to solve crimes at the root should be implemented. With the maximum amount of SQF being done daily to individuals and groups, there will be a greater chance of police officers using the amount they have wisely. If a limit is given, officers will not go overboard by targeting the same people, rather they will be inclined to try and use those on people who they truly suspect of trying to or actually committing a crime. In order to see a true reflection, all stops must be written down. If a corrupt police officer is working in an area for a lengthy period and people are aware of it and there are evidence such as numerous reports being filed, there should be an investigation on the police officer and drastic actions to try to correct this problem should be taken, whether it may be suspending the officer or sending them to probation classes. “Programs like the Safe Streets program in Baltimore and the CeaseFire program in Chicago enlists both former prison convicts to go