‘Mad or nah?’: As shootings persist, Philly officials weigh stop-and-frisk
As the city continues to deal with a frightful gun violence crisis, some city officials have floated the idea of revisiting stop-and-frisk.
Listen 5:17
Community groups working against violence in the city of Philadelphia protested stop-and-frisk outside the 26th Police District in Fishtown. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
When City Councilmember Michael Nutter was elected mayor in 2008, stop-and-frisk became a core part of the Philadelphia Police Department’s crime-fighting policy. He declared a crime emergency and called for the aggressive use of stop-and-frisk. It didn’t take long for the policing tactic to draw scrutiny.
In November 2010, the ACLU of Pennsylvania, along with civil rights attorneys, sued the city of Philadelphia in federal court. By June of the following year, the city had entered into a settlement agreement and consent decree.
Over time, that agreement has resulted in the number of illegal stops significantly declining, but racial disparities have persisted.
As the city continues to deal with a frightful gun violence crisis, some city officials have floated the idea of revisiting stop-and-frisk.
P.O.C., a partner in WHYY’s News and Information Community Exchange, hit the streets to survey residents’ attitudes and opinions on the matter.
WHYY’s News and Information Community Exchange is made possible by a generous grant from the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund.
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Part of the series
Mad or nah?
‘Mad or Nah?’ is an original woman-on-the-street interview series from Revive Radio that asks Philadelphians about issues impacting their everyday life.
Part of the series
N.I.C.E. Stories
Collaborative journalism from WHYY and our partners in the News & Information Community Exchange (N.I.C.E.) initiative.
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