If a judge rules changes should happen, will they really? And if the City Council creates an Inspector General, will it make a difference on the streets of New York City? Let's be honest. Problems between police and members of the minority community aren't going to be solved by a judge or a politician. Mutual respect doesn't start with a piece of paper.

Day two of a federal trial challenging the NYPD's Stop, Question and Frisk policy continued today with more claims of police officers making unnecessary street stops. The class-action lawsuit is looking to reform the policy, which plaintiffs say unfairly targets minorities.

In 2012, police stopped more than 500,000 New Yorkers and arrested about 10% of them. NYPD statistics show more than 80% of those who were stopped were black or Hispanic. City attorneys argued in court that officers do not target people solely because of race, but simply go where the crime is. What do you say?

Why do you think so many young New Yorkers are being stopped by police for acting suspiciously? What reforms would you make to the Stop, Question and Frisk policy? Do you welcome it in your neighborhood? Will this lawsuit affect what happens on the streets?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

I can see the merits of policing high crime areas, but once in those neighborhoods if police become suspicious of everyone and end up arresting, disrespecting and violating the rights of people in those neighborhoods, then they of course open themselves for lawsuits, and questions about the effectiveness of the stop and frisk policy.

Felix
Bay Ridge

John,

There is no doubt in my mind that the police target minority neighborhoods.
They have it in their pea brains that all crime is racial, specifically black and Latino, so they are the focus and the victims of police activity.

Joe
Port Richmond, SI

I don't care where the cops go, the Stop, Question and Frisk law without reasonable suspicion is unlawful. For all too long now, we have placed those who do not believe in the American Government or its Constitution in offices of high trust and power where it would be required the most. Believe it or not our Judges may be our only hope. Okay men in black, give em what ya got.

Eileen

Hi John,

How many were there-not arrested and how many were arrested and let go. This administration is great with their numbers and polls and they are just bunk. AGAIN I ASK JUST WHAT HAS THIS MAYOR ACCOMPLISHED FOR US IN NEW YORK IN ALL THE YEARS HE'S BEEN HERE? HE HAS NEVER GOTTEN HIS PRIORITIES IN ORDER AND THE CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING FOR IT.

Thank you John,
maxxiee
mp

I support SQF. But if I can keep my legal firearm as per the 2nd amendment then by all means discontinue it.

Jimmy from the Bronx.

Bravo to all the Officer's who stand up. The NYPD excuse is always the person fit a crime description which is bull. I am a former Police officer who knows first hand the NYPD has an activity sheet that each Parole officer must fill out monthly with quotas on everything done on parole. So, no a change in the stop and frisk rule will not make a difference. To make a difference corruption from the patrolman to the commissioner being honestly disciplined including prison only then will change come.

Stephanie

It is plain to see for years that the NYPD have been a law onto their own selves. This is part of the One World Order. The are parked up by the Jewish places but to protect them and never searched even when they are known as suspects in the kidnapping and mutilation of children, rape and abuse of children so what are you saying when you say only those who fit the description of a suspect are stopped and frisked. This to me is total bias on the part of color of skin and ethnicity.

Mr. Noel

People don't want to be reminded that certain areas are uncivilized. Civilized people don't complain about officers trying to save them.

Mr. B.
Flushing Queens.

I think the NYPD is doing a great job. I believe this is happening a lot in tough neighborhoods where crimes are constantly being reported. Most of those neighborhoods are predominantly African American / Hispanics.. NYPD has do whatever it takes to lower crime.

Larry

This practice should not be reformed. It should be ceased. This is not a police state. The Black & Latino communities are the only areas targeted. All Black & Latino's males are not criminals. This is called racial profiling. It is a disgrace. Mayor Blumberg & Commissioner Kelly should be ashamed of themselves. Out & Out racism. They are only trying to put our youth in the system. (genocide). The Police are to protect & serve everyone.

Sheila E.
Queens

What does that tell the people of the Bronx...Stop and frisk and now radiation cameras to detect if someone has a gun.

Michael

A Inspector General will be as useless as CCRB! The over-sight is all police or chosen by Comm. Kelly. Who are u kidding....

Queen

They're not killing EACHOTHER on 77th & Lex...they're killing EACHOTHER in Harlem and the high crime areas in NYC!!..which are neighborhoods of Minorities..PEOPLE STOP BEING IN DENIAL!!!

McGriff from Brooklyn

John,

The lady in the intro at 9:14 PM who says stop-and-frisk leads to less crime ought to know that criminals don't need guns to rob people. Most crime are not done with guns. One or two physically strong criminals can rob someone without any weapon. The purpose of stop-and-frisk is to remove guns off the streets not to impede the movement of people who live in a free society.
Wayne

Vinegar Hill. Brooklyn

A retired police pofficer on your program referred to officers at 1 police plazza above the rank of captain being jobs appointed.. only 3 percent of those leaders are non white. Could this have anything to do with stops based on race?

allan
midwood

Saying that you fit the description of a suspect is a frivilous and loose excuse that can be used safely. A suspect of what crime? Where and when was the crime committed? What makes the person look like a suspect? the skin color, the height, the clothes?

Dianna

No an Inspector General will not make a difference. High crime is not an excuse crime is everywhere in this city. Racism is the underlying element to all of the problems within the NYPD. I am a former Police Officer and there are quotas on arrests, summons, and 250 reports monthly. Otherwise, you will be harassed, transferred, and even, fired. NYPD stop and frisk is reflective of the hate and racism by whites against blacks and hispanics. All of these quotas generate revenue for the city. 250 quotas, arrests, and summons are the cash cow for the NYPD.

Stephanie from Corona.

I would have no problem with stop and frisk if all 5boros were involved.

Joseph

I think that the stop and frisk policy is very bias . I'm majoring in criminal justice and if your a police officer in duty you're not supposed to racial profile but stopping and frisking is racial profiling only minorities get stop and Frisked. I think stop and frisk is a waste of resources my husband is constantly being harassed by NYPD in the projects and he is a hard working man with a family. stoping and frisking usually pulls petty criminals. the NYPD needs to focus on all these perverts running around NYC trying to grope and rape our children/women.

Pretty G.

We live in a world where the police are now looked at as criminals. Now a days I question why we can find more witnesses against a police officer who stops someone than we can find when a criminal commits a crime. Maybe if people step up and speak up when crime occurs maybe there would be less criminal element on the street and less need for stop and frisk.

Dylan from Brooklyn

It should be abolished. I'm white, so I've never been stopped and frisked, but if I were, I'd raise holy hell. Some of us remember this thing called the Constitution. Not many, maybe not enough, but some of us do remember.

Jordan
Flushing

Things are as different as night and day. This is 2013 and not 1950. Sadly, the thugs are muliplying like roaches. Back in the day the thugs fought with their fists (for the most part) and now the thugs are armed with heavy artillery. How can the public expect the police to hold counseling sessions and interviews out on the street. Things are out of control.

Kathy from Throggs Neck da bronx

I am a John Jay College student and I love the law. However, Stop and Frisk derived from Terry v. Ohio and the NYPD is not following the protocol of having reasonable suspicion leading to probable cause in every stop. POINT BLANK, that is it. Use it correctly and innocent people won't get stopped. Reformation is not necessary. A black male, blue jeans, and a hoodie does not mean every black man in NYC!

S.M.

My husband was stopped while coming home from a long day of work for no reason. He happened to have a small bag of pot in his pocket and they arrested him. He lost 2 days of work which cost us to be late with bills. He wasn't doing anything he's just black. He didnt have to go through that. It's not fair and it's a waste of resources. NYPD should be cracking down on all these perverts.

Gisele from Jackson heights

I think an independent inspector is necessary. Reforms need to be made, protocols should be in place to ensure officers are respectful and understand people feel victimized when frisked.

Lee, Gravesand

Sadly, many who are affected, those within that community don't understand their rights, therefore they unknowingly forfeit them.

The racist undertone to this has its origin long before Bloomberg and Kelly took the reins, they just as everything else, hyped it.

K
Harlem

Reform marijuana laws and im all for stop and frisk. Don't put people in jail for carrying around small amounts of a safe drug that is legal in many parts of our country... but anything that keeps guns off the streets is good in my eyes.

Carly in manhattan

I can't imagine being stopped randomly and searched for no reason. It's like a police state. I give the citizens in these communities great credit because if I lived there and I were treated like this I'd be revolting.

Jeff in the LES

Stop, Question & Frisk is a clear violation of the civil rights of all New Yorkers. There are no clear and published guidelines as to what action or behavior would warrant this action, which is carried out at the discretion of a quasi paramilitary force. It is one step away from facism - as is the Patriot Act in the wider United States. It is mind boggling that people in this city and in this country let their fears override the rights that we used to pay for granted.

Randall

1) It's called "dollars for collars."

2) The US Supreme Court gave police the power to 'stop and frisk' is when there is imminent danger of harm to police or public. Police now use it too often for intimidation and quotas. This abuse has undermined community/police relations.

3) What of Mayor Bloomberg's pressure on NYPD to continue with this policy.

Gloria

I am for the stop question and frisk policy. People are not stopped at random or "for no reason." Ive never been stopped by the nypd and frisked ever. I dont hang around street corners harassing people passing by. The high crime areas are always going to have more stop question and frisk people. I live in a great area where the crime is almost non existant and I almost never see it. im Hispanic and I live in a predominantly white neighborhood, and I dont get stopped. If people in neighborhoods that are in the 73 and 75 precinct would stop committing crimes, then the police wouldnt stop them.

Steven

When I was in law school, a fellow African American and I were leaving the House. Two detective came up to us, merely walking out of our house, stopped us, frisked my friend. When the other detective saw my law school ID, they immediately left. The system is abused.

Nick
Harlem

I feel it should end im a 32 year old Irishmen in far Rockaway queens and get harassed for living in a bad neighborhood and was told by cops the reason for stopping me was cause im white in this neigborhood so i label all cops no good

thankyou
from doug

THE POLICE ALREADY KNOW WHO ARE THE SERIOUS CRIMINALS DRUG DEALERS WHO ARE CREATING ALL THIS VIOLENCE GO AFTER THEM

PEDRO
BRONX

Dianna in Harlem Says:

One of the main problem is that Police Officers work in Areas and Boroughs that they have no sensitivity to the culture. Many have negative preconceived notions and respond accordingly. I lived in Long Island and the attitude i get from NYC officers differs from the reaction in Harlem.

no matter the nature of any situation faced by the NYC police as it pertains to potential criminals, black, white, Latinos, etc. this current policy as implemented is totally UNCONTITUTIONAL! folks on wall street are the BIGGEST criminals in NYC and they aren't on the stop and frisk stats (go check it out). simple common sense police work and doing what you were trained at the academy to do will decrease crime and help to apprehend criminals.

Yellow