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Thursday, November 7, 2013

NYPD Officer Risks His Job to Speak Out Against "Stop-and-Frisk" Targeting of People of Color (Parts 1-2)

Part 1 of 2


The New York City Police Department's controversial "stop-and-frisk" program was a major issue for voters going to the polls in the city's mayoral election.

The issue drew widespread attention in August when U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin found "stop-and-frisk" unconstitutional, saying police had relied on a "policy of indirect racial profiling" that led officers to routinely stop "blacks and Hispanics who would not have been stopped if they were white." While she did not halt use of the tactic, Scheindlin appointed a federal court monitor to oversee a series of reforms.

In a dramatic development last week, those reforms were put on hold. On Thursday, an appeals court stayed the changes, effectively allowing police officers to continue using "stop-and-frisk."

We get reaction from a police officer who has spoken out about problems with the program he and thousands of others are asked to carry out. Adhyl Polanco became critical of the NYPD's "stop-and-frisk" policy when his superiors told officers to meet a quota of stops, or face punishment.


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