NYC Public Advocate analysis: Whites stopped more likely to have weapons than blacks

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In a report by a Public Advocate for the City of New York, analyzing NYPD 2012 statistics on stop-and-frisk, it was found that while black New Yorkers were stopped at a higher rate, white New Yorkers were more likely to have weapons or drugs on them.

The report from the office of Bill de Blasio finds that black and Latino New Yorkers accounted for 84 percent of all stops.

The Public Advocate’s analysis of 2012 data finds:

• The likelihood a stop of an African-American New Yorker yielded a weapon was half that of white New Yorkers stopped. The NYPD uncovered a weapon in one out every 49 stops of white New Yorkers. By contrast, it took the Department 71 stops of Latinos and 93 stops of African-Americans to find a weapon.

• The likelihood a stop of an African-American New Yorker yielded contraband was one-third less than that of white New Yorkers stopped. The NYPD uncovered contraband in one out every 43 stops of white New Yorkers. By contrast, it took the Department 57 stops of Latinos and 61 stops of African Americans to find contraband.

• Despite the overall reduction in stops, the proportion involving black and Latino New Yorkers has remained unchanged. They continue to constitute 84 percent of all stops, despite comprising only 54 percent of the general population. And the innocence rates remain at the same level as 2011 – at nearly 89 percent.

The report doesn’t encourage greater searching of white residents, but demands there be a stop to targeting minorities.

“New York City does not have sufficient protections against racial profiling and bias-based policing,” the report says.  “Stop-and-frisk numbers demonstrate that an overwhelming proportion of law enforcement activity affects innocent people in communities of color across the City.”

Follow Carrie Healey on Twitter @CarrieHeals.