New York's Finest?

 

The New York City mayoralty primary race is fast coming to a close. Let’s count our blessings. The candidates have spent the bulk of their time out pandering each other for the support of the ever growing number of fringe groups in the city. And last night’s debate stayed true to the script. The most salient issue being the “stop and frisk” policy that many minority groups feel unjustly targets them. And they’re right. They do.

But before anyone is stopped they have to fit a description of the perpetrator being pursued. And before anyone is frisked they are questioned first. Sure I didn’t like it either when as a young white man my friends and I were stopped and questioned by police but there were reasons for it: we were out very late, we were trespassing, or we were being loud and disorderly. We didn’t have the likes of the Rev. Sharptons of the world looking out for us enabling our bad behavior.

White people, albeit not in the same numbers as African-Americans or Hispanics, are also targeted for “stop and frisk.” Many white, limousine drivers, for instance, have been stopped and checked to see if they are carrying illegal firearms, especially if they have out-of-state license plates. Same goes for people in high drug selling and prostitution areas – they also, obviously, attract attention.

“Stop and Frisk” is not a perfect system and I’m sure there are many who are victims of unjust profiling but until someone comes up with a better solution, not more rhetoric, we should stay the course.

The proposed inspector general many of the candidates endorse to oversee the police commissioner will only hinder the great work of Ray Kelly or whomever his successor is. Will it mitigate the number of stop and frisks, will it improve the situation? That remains to be seen.

Once in a while I wish the greater good – what benefits the most – including minorities, would carry more weight  especially when all major crime statistics have been reduced significantly and the overall quality of life in the city has improved with the present programs in place.