NYPD refining 'Stop and Frisk' after increase in murders

Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Crime up in NYC, NYPD to refine 'Stop and Frisk'
Jim Dolan reports from Bedford-Stuyvesant.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The NYPD said that because of an increase of murders and shootings they want to take a look at the controversial "Stop and Frisk" policy.

What they're doing isn't reassessing "Stop, Question and Frisk" but refining it, using it in a more targeted manner in specific areas where crime is up.

If they stop someone on the street they want to make sure there's a reason behind it, a reasonable suspension.

They aren't going to be using it in places where crime is steady, but using it in places like the 42nd Precinct in the Bronx where shootings are up.

Shootings and murders, using guns are up in the city and spiked some in May.

It's among the places where shootings are up.

Police are changing some tactics to react to what they see as senseless violence.

"We have seen over the last four to five years in New York City and certainly to some extent continuing now groups that seem to be shooting each other for absolutely no reason," said Dep. Comm Dermot Shea, NYPD.

"If we see an area where there's an increase in violence were going to put more resources in there. The stops that we want are good stops. We want stops and we want summary enforcement activity to the people connected in the violence," said Chief James O'Neill, NYPD.

"Stop, Question and Frisk never went away; it's just being used in what police hope is a more prudent manner and more motivated manner.

They want to be able to justify those stops.

There are 22 more murders this year than at this time last year.

One more fact that came out of the news conference in this spike in crime, its 77 precincts in the city, 10 precincts account for 50% of the shootings.