New York Civil Liberties Union officials filed a lawsuit seeking to place restrictions on a program that allows police to pull over some taxis and liveries, alleging that officers are using these inspection stops to question and search passengers.

The lawsuit focuses on the New York Police Department's Taxi/Livery Robbery Inspection Program, or TRIP, which allows officers to pull over without cause any taxi and livery cab whose company has voluntarily enrolled in the program. Participating vehicles are identified by a decal....