Stop and Frisk Violates Constitutional Rights

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There should not be people who abuse their power through the law; however, in New York City (NYC) cops are using their authority in a negative way. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, 2009 to 2013, implemented a policy called stop and frisk where the New York City Police Department (NYPD) has the right to question and search anybody who looks suspicious. Because of this act in NYC, many men and women, especially of color, have protested against the policy. In addition, the Pierce County Tribune’s article “Stop and Frisk Practice Ethically, Morally Wrong” by Bryce Berginski argues that stop and frisk violates the fourth and fourteenth amendment. Stop and Frisk is an ineffective policy because it allows police officers to abuse their power and violates human rights; therefore, an alternative policy should be implemented to keep communities safe.

The stop and frisk policy is meant to protect communities from crimes, but sometimes law enforcement abused their power. Stop and frisk allowed a cop to question and search any man or woman who looked or dressed suspicious. In addition, sometime officers would violently search a person for proof of being a criminal. A political blogger, Aaron Morrison, wrote about a young man named Anthony Henry who was a victim of stop and frisk and police officers power abused. Henry was walking to school at 8 AM wearing a black hoodie and a jeep police car pulled over next to him; five policemen came out from the car questioning Henry about gangs and drugs. They searched his clothings and dumped his school materials on the floor, but after finding nothing, they took him home and apologized to his mom (Aaron Morrison, Stop and Frisk Loop21). In Henry’s experienced with stop and frisk, the cops abused their powe...

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...n addition, the policy will prevent police officers from abusing their power because the new method does not make cops search people due to suspiciousness. As a result, focused deterrence will help law enforcement lower criminal activities rate and society will support the method because they will no longer feel threatened as a group.

Works Cited

Berginski, Bryce. ""Stop and Frisk" Practice Ethically, Morally Wrong." ThePierceCountyTribune.com. Pierce County Tribune, 16 Aug. 2013. Web. 05 Feb. 2014.

Morrison, Aaron. "New York’s Stop And Frisk Teen Victims Speak Out."

Loop21 RSS. LIFE, n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2014.

"Practice Profile."

Practice: Focused Deterrence Strategies. USA.gov, n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2014.

"Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America | Teaching American History." Teaching American History. N.p., 2006. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.

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