Is ‘Stop And Frisk’ Coming To Your Neighborhood?

[downtownv]

Is ‘Stop And Frisk’ Coming To Your Neighborhood?

September 9, 2013 by Sam Rolley

PHOTOS.COM
The contentious police-state tactic of officers stopping random pedestrians for warrant-less pat downs is no longer a concern just for residents of New York City. The practice, it seems, is spreading to police departments throughout the Nation.
The Northwest Indiana Times recently reported that police in the area have assembled a “Region STOP Team” headed by Mark Becker, chief of police in East Chicago, Ind. Becker and his team of between 12 and 18 officers patrol various local areas looking for “anything outside the norm” to use as justification to invade residents’ privacy.
“With the new Region STOP Team, no bust – or suspicious glance – is too small. Because you never know what crime you could be preventing or what wanted person you might find,” the news report says.
One of the officers described the process as being “sort of like fishing” for criminals.
Below is a local newscast detailing a day in the life of a “Region STOP Team” member. The patrols appear to consist mainly of hassling people who have committed petty crimes or who simply seem to be attempting to avoid being harassed by cops:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0u4irgL-fE&feature=player_embedded#t=0


My guess is the likely candidate will be a loiter, street thug looking, not likely to be anyone, here.

[xsailer]

If I lived in a high crime or Gang Banger area I would't like getting stopped but would accept it gladly to help control the lousy Thugs that are there. When the crime rate went down then stop it until the signs show differently.
Nobody likes getting stopped and rights infringed on but is there a better way?....that works? Of course if the police abuse this practice then hands need to be slapped. My opinion.

note: I live on the edge of a rough neighborhood and a couple years ago it was not uncommon to hear a series of gunshots in the evening. The police cracked down and now, with the exception of straight pipe bikes and twits driving by slowly they can share their noise with subwoofers blasting, the noise has subsided.

[ptoemmes]

Living under a democratic form of government with (individual) freedoms means accepting some risk including to well-being.

It's one of the reasons we/I arm ourselves.

As much as I, too, would like all bad guys swept off the street, it may also mean bring to a popular vote the imposition of "Stop and Frisk" like policies.

[Longitude Zero]

Virtually every civilian will do or act in a way that could rouse and officers suspicion in a very short amount of time. Especially at night.

[muggsy]

I, for one, will only allow police women to frisk me.

[Longitude Zero]

I, for one, will only allow police women to frisk me.

If you let me pick the female officer I bet you would change your mind.

[Bawanna]

I was gonna say that too. They ain't all like the ones on Rookie Blue for sure.

[TheTman]

Those that would give up their freedoms for the sake of a government guarantee of safety, deserve neither. To paraphrase one of the founding fathers.
Today it will be stop and frisk "suspicious" looking people. Tomorrow it will be stop and frisk people at random, the next day it will be stop and frisk everyone. "Papers Please, Have your papers ready."
I thought Stop and Frisk had been declared unconstitutional, in a New York Federal court.

[Bawanna]

Exactly! They'll just rename it and call it something else.

I understand Law Enforcements frustration being blessed with my profiling skills. They know who the dirt bags are but dirt bags being what they are they avoid creating opportunities for officers to give them their just due.

You can't make arrest just cause you know they are a dirtbag even though they really are a dirtbag.

People complain about traffic stops but an amazing number of criminal arrest are made based on simple traffic stops.
Similar to stop and frisk and it's not difficult to find a violation. You can follow the Sams Club best driver award recipient for 12 years running and in a block you can find something.

I don't want no part of stop and frisk. In New York a good guy carrying a gun becomes a bad guy after a frisk. That's wrong....................

[Longitude Zero]

You can't make arrest just cause you know they are a dirtbag even though they really are a dirtbag.

Well with a little finesse you can get around this. Most officers I know do not arrest or rarely arrest for traffic warrants. They just lettum ride. that way they know every time they see a scumbag they have at least one outstanding traffic warrant.

Knowing they have that warrant(s) gives them arrestable probable cause no matter what else the scumbag is doing or not doing.

[nimdabew]

Those that would give up their freedoms for the sake of a government guarantee of safety, deserve neither. To paraphrase one of the founding fathers.
Today it will be stop and frisk "suspicious" looking people. Tomorrow it will be stop and frisk people at random, the next day it will be stop and frisk everyone. "Papers Please, Have your papers ready."
I thought Stop and Frisk had been declared unconstitutional, in a New York Federal court.

This. There is a really slippery slope towards more imposing legislation against a wider and wider group of people until everyone is in the group, and then there is a new piece of legislation that will only target a small minority of the population.

[addictedhealer]

East Chicago and Gary are the biggest hell holes next to Detroit. It has zero in common with the rest of the Hoosier state. It's basically all the spew dripping off of Chicago. One of the poorest and most crime ridden counties in America. Funny thing is, its always a blue county and the rest of Indiana is mostly red, weird hu? Kinda like the bankrupt Detroit.

[OldLincoln]

50 years ago I trusted the police and would wave and smile at them. Now we both have changed and not only do I not trust them but am afraid of them. It's no longer "Serve and Protect" but more of a "Threat and Beat."

It broke my heart when I was in Little Rock and black people would leave the sidewalk and walk in the street looking down and submissive to avoid me. I tried to talk with a black that worked for a friend of mine and he said that coming from CA there is no way I could truly understand, but in essence they had literally been beaten into complete submission.

Guess what, I'm beginning to get it.

[downtownv]

50 years ago I trusted the police and would wave and smile at them. Now we both have changed and not only do I not trust them but am afraid of them. It's no longer "Serve and Protect" but more of a "Threat and Beat."

It broke my heart when I was in Little Rock and black people would leave the sidewalk and walk in the street looking down and submissive to avoid me. I tried to talk with a black that worked for a friend of mine and he said that coming from CA there is no way I could truly understand, but in essence they had literally been beaten into complete submission.

Guess what, I'm beginning to get it.

I'm gonna guess disrespect and defiance....

[knkali]

Those that would give up their freedoms for the sake of a government guarantee of safety, deserve neither. To paraphrase one of the founding fathers.
Today it will be stop and frisk "suspicious" looking people. Tomorrow it will be stop and frisk people at random, the next day it will be stop and frisk everyone. "Papers Please, Have your papers ready."
I thought Stop and Frisk had been declared unconstitutional, in a New York Federal court.

Bingo

[garyb]

If you live in NYS, stop and frisk is already there. Government under Cuomo. You know... he may be running for president! Get ready folks. You ain't seen nothin yet.

[bob98366]

East Chicago and Gary are the biggest hell holes next to Detroit. It has zero in common with the rest of the Hoosier state. It's basically all the spew dripping off of Chicago. One of the poorest and most crime ridden counties in America. Funny thing is, its always a blue county and the rest of Indiana is mostly red, weird hu? Kinda like the bankrupt Detroit.

+2

Born in Hammond but Dad moved us to Iowa when I was 11. Best move ever.

[Albo5542]

As a recently retired LEO, my experience and training with stop and frisk is based upon twenty year old principles so I may not be the best person to comment on the current state of "stop and frisk." Im also not good at writing but ill give it a try. When I came on in the early 90's crack was an epidemic, especially in the area I patrolled. Experience taught me to watch a persons hands at all times, because after all its the hands and feet that will hurt you. That being said, If I had an individual stopped for whatever reason, IE a radio run of a violent crime giving that particular persons description or a personal observation of someone doing something that may raise my level of suspicion I may or may not give the person a quick pat down depending on the situation. If the person kept brushing their hands over their pockets after being told not to, or if they kept checking their waist band I would give that area a pat down for my safety. If I determined that the persons level of conduct was raised to the level of an arrest, then a full frisk would be conducted on the street prior to transport to the station house for processing. It was all about not only officer safety, but bystander safety as well. As I stated, crack was in full swing and the violence associated was unbelievable. The bad guys carried guns, knives and all sorts of weapons. My point being is that a "stop and frisk" can be very warranted at times. The way the media is portraying this is making it seem as though every cop out there is just stopping and patting people down for no reason. I do know, after speaking to quite a few new officers , that the amount of scrutiny they are getting is making some of them think twice before they "frisk" or pat down some one they have stopped for fear of reprisal. I can say this is bad because this could easily cost an officer his or her life. I feel that there may be retraining and new guidelines needed with regards to this procedure but the powers that be should also stop making officers fear reprisal if they conduct a frisk of a person they have stopped. Like I said it could cost an officer, or bystander, their life. Im not taking sides on the issue so please dont beat me up lol. Im just giving my humble opinion on the subject based on twenty years of patrol experience and unfortunately several line of duty injuries I received as a young officer because I didnt have enough experience yet to determine when a proper stop and frisk should be conducted.