New York officials, DOJ meet over stop-and-frisk

SUZANNE GAMBOA, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — New York officials are asking the Justice Department to investigate the police department’s stop-and-frisk program for overwhelmingly targeting minorities.

A group of city, state and federal officials met Thursday with Justice Department officials. They are asking the agency to intervene in lawsuits challenging the stop-and-frisk tactic and help with legislative proposals, including withholding some grant funds.

Analysis by a civil rights group found that of about 685,000 people stopped by New York police, 87 percent of them were blacks or Latinos. About half were frisked. Last month, a federal judge granted class status to a lawsuit filed by people who have been stopped. They allege the stop-and-frisk policy is racial profiling and is unconstitutional.