“You can’t lead the people if you don’t love the people. You can’t save the people if you don’t serve the people.”

~ Dr. Cornel West

New York City’s new mayor Bill de Blasio made headlines at the end of January by calling an end to the long-standing practice of stop and frisk. It was a corner stone of his campaign, and he made good on his promise. The mayor was quoted by the New York Times as saying:

“We believe in ending the overuse of stop-and-frisk that has unfairly targeted young African-American and Latino men.” Read the full story here.

The move by the new mayor has drawn a lot of attention both to him and the practice of stopping people on the street for little reason other than their race, ethnicity or socio-economic status, but the truth is people have been speaking out against this practice for a long time.

This video made by the Open Society Foundation says it all:

“I live for my kids. And…I think of them. I think of them one day, being, being slapped by a cop like it happens so many times in the street. I’m thinking of them being handcuffed and screaming to the cop ‘I haven’t done anything. I haven’t done anything. Why are you arresting me? I haven’t done anything.'” ~ Adhyl Polanco

“There is a lot of things that can make the community safer. Stopping and harassing innocent people is not going to make the community safer.” ~ Adhyl Polanco

This video was made as part of the Open Society Foundation’s WhereIAmGoing.org campaign

Wondering if ending this program is a good idea?

Here is some food for thought:

According to a study conducted by NYCLU

In 2013, 88 percent of people stopped by NYPD were innocent.

In the same year 56 percent of people stopped were black and 11 percent were white.

Love elephant and want to go steady?

Editor: Catherine Monkman

Photo: Video Screenshot