Over the past decade, five million people have been stopped by the NYPD under stop-and-frisk, now ruled unconstitutional
The New York police department's controversial stop-and-frisk policy was ruled unconstitutional Monday. The verdict follows a two-and-a-half month trial resulting from a federal class action lawsuit filed in 2008 by four African American men who challenged the NYPD's use of stop-and-frisk as a violation of the constitution because of racially discriminatory searches and seizures.
Over the past decade, an estimated five million people have been stopped by the NYPD under stop-and-frisk. The vast majority have been African American or Hispanic; roughly nine out of 10 have walked away without an arrest or a ticket.
Leroy Downs, one of the plaintiffs in the class action suit said in a piece he wrote for the Guardian that he's happy with the verdict – but is concerned it might be too little too late.
Another feeling I walked away with from the trial was 'big ship, small rudder' – that change takes a really, really long time. Hopefully, I'll be around to see it, but maybe it'll be my newborn son who gets to see some of these changes going into effect. I want him to grow up not having to worry about being stopped on the street and searched every day on the suspicion that he's up to something. It's no good for anyone.
As a part of the Guardian's Opening Up series, we want to hear from Americans who have been stopped by the NYPD:
Has being stopped affected how you feel in your neighborhood or your city? Were you relieved to hear the judge's ruling? Or, like Leroy Downs, do you worry that change is still a long way off?
If you'd like to participate in the project, answer a few of the questions below and we'll be in touch in the next couple of days. Any questions? Email me: ruth.spencer@guardian.com
