In 1968, the Supreme Court validated a common police practice called stop and frisk, provided a police officer could justify the action as reasonable suspicion (Carbado, 2017). Currently policing agencies apply to stop and frisk prophylactically. For instance, the officers stop tens, hundreds or thousands of people in cities yearly (Carbado, 2017). Surprisingly, approximately one firearm in one thousand stop- and –frisk is recovered. But about the ninety percent do not result in summons (Carbado, 2017). Even if one believes that a good number of citizens were stopped and frisked last year, there exists a proper reason to right size this policy that is based on race.
The New York City Police Department’s hostile stop-and-frisk practices are having adverse effects on people across the city (Carbado, 2017). According to the report released in 2012, the documented stories on those who have been mishandled as the policy is effected worries (Carbado, 2017). The administration has affected not only New York City but also the neighboring towns. The Center for Constitutional Rights steered some interview concerning the matter with those who have been stopped and frisked by the officers (Carbado, 2017). The responses show how such practices profoundly impact individuals. According to the report, the police while effecting the policy involves human and civil rights abuses such as improper arrests, sexual harassment, and humiliation (Carbado, 2017). Besides, individuals are inappropriately touched, illegally profiled, and violently handled in the hands of police officers. The listed abuses are some of the challenges the citizens undergo during such activities.
The effects of such abuses often leave behind lasting emotional, economic, psychological, and social harm (Davis, 2017). The individuals who have been improperly handled by the police officers may break relationships between them and the officers. For example, they may decide to revenge by using deadly weapons to kill the police officers. Also, because of frustrations, some people may choose to kill others or to commit suicide. The police misdeeds during such activities can cause considerable damage to the country. For example, members of society are psychologically affected and cannot work and be productive as before, lowering productivity in the workplace (Davis, 2017). Such people as also affected socially, they may quickly get angry on an argument and can pull out a gun, in case he/she was having the weapon, and shoot at the other person (Davis, 2017). The emotional stress may too result in suicidal cases, killing other people at a slight disagreement, as well as revenging by killing the police officers.
Approximately eighty-seven percent of those stopped and frisked are black and Latino (Davis, 2017). According to such statistics, this is a social injustice that is practiced on such groups of individuals. For instance, it is intimidating for police officers to stop and frisk a black or Latino and most whites are left to continue with their journey (Davis, 2017). Therefore, it is a way of communicating that most blacks and Latino are likely to be terrorists, which is not valid. Such practices must be conducted in a manner that does not show racism as it can result in war (Davis, 2017). The government should ensure that, during stop and frisk exercise, it should be performed to everybody without favoring a community. The widening racial effects provide a non-conducive environment for business activities (Davis, 2017). As a result, few job opportunities are created encouraging unemployment, promoting crime, and therefore stagnates economic development.
The other percentage that is also affected is by stop and frisk include LGBTQ/GNC people, homeless individuals, non-citizens, and religious minorities (Davis, 2017). Besides, low-income people, the youths, and residents of some neighborhoods are also negatively affected by such practices (Davis, 2017). Some residents from neighborhoods of New York City describe police presence as hostile and unescapable making them have a feeling that they are living in a state of siege (Davis, 2017). Such acts triggers fear in residents and non-residents of NYC making the citizens develop a negative attitude towards law enforcement officers. For this reason, an individual may fail to report to police any issue that can threaten the security of the country (Davis, 2017). A good relationship between the police and the citizens is crucial for economic development.
Some of the solutions to the broken links between the police and the civilians include the New York police should chat over coffee, the officers should treat people equally, and the police should be retrained on how to deal with civilians (Meares, 2017). Also, some changes can be made on the NYC police officers so that new phases are brought to serve in different positions. For instance, most violence activities are delivered by the minority in a community which can result in a significant challenge in dealing with the issue (Meares, 2017). The best way of dealing with the problem is to treat the whole society equally as if it is the majority who have developed the challenge. Therefore a section of the community will not feel that they are targeted (Meares, 2017). The communities including the minorities will trust and love the government institutions, for example, the police force enhancing peace as well as promoting economic growth.
Also, the New York City police officers should chat over coffee with the civilians to air out the challenges they face on the handles of different police officers (Meares, 2017). The officers will realize their problems and where they need to improve and act professionally. The citizens too will understand how the police force is operating so that they are not found at the wrong side of the law (Meares, 2017). Both the police and the civilians may come into agreements on where to improve on both sides to enhance the police activities. As a result, the citizens can harmoniously work with the police to strengthen security.
Moreover, the police should be retrained on how to carry out their activities without biasness (Meares, 2017). The police will be able to treat all the people equally resulting in peace across the nation (Meares, 2017). For the government to achieve this, it can make some changes in New York City police officers so that new people are brought to replace them. Most likely, the new officers will readily embrace the further instructions on how they can handle the civilians without discrimination.
In conclusion, the stop and frisk is a practice that a section of a population think that is used to target the minority. According to the statistics, it is evident that the blacks and other minority groups have been suffering on the hands of police officers because of the practice. For the breaks in relationships between the police officers and civilian to narrow, police should treat all the communities equally. The officers should take their time and chat with the society on issues of concern in the police force, especially, how they feel they have been mistreated and how they would like the cops to carry out their work. The police too should be retrained to ensure they carry out their duties as per the law.
