Members of the stop and frisk delegation including State Senator Adriano Espaillat, Councilwoman Mellissa Mark-Viverito and Assemblyman Karim Camara meeting with officials in Washington.

A number of New York City and State elected officials are in Washington D.C. this afternoon to address their concerns about the NYPD's controversial stop and frisk policy. They are calling on the Department of Justice to investigate the NYPD's use of stop and frisk as a civil rights violation.  The NYPD stopped a record number of people last year, the vast majority of whom were minorities.

“New Yorkers are fed up with this policy that continually targets our communities,” Assemblyman Karim Camara, Chairman of the New York State Black Puerto Rican Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus said in a statement. “The numbers tell a tragic story. One recent report said that more young black men were stopped than actually lived in the city.  We cannot get away from the fact that there is implicit racial bias in this tactic used by the NYPD.  Since City officials refuse to listen, we are taking our cause to Washington.  It’s time for some high-powered back up to advocate for the civil rights of New Yorkers.”

The delegation is holding closed-door meetings with members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Congressional Progressive Caucus. They also delivered a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder.

“Last year alone, New York City Officers stopped 684,330 people under the stop-and-frisk policy. This amounted to a 14 percent jump from the previous year. Even more shocking is the 600 percent increase in stops made since the data collection began in 2002," the letter said. "Most of those who are stopped are not arrested or even issued a summons; further igniting concern that the policy amounts to nothing more than racial profiling and harassment.”

Members of the delegation included Mr. Camara, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman, Congressman Charlie Rangel, Mr. Rangel's primary opponent in the 13th District, State Senator Adriano Espaillat, Councilman Jumaane Williams and several other members of the State Legislature and New York City Council.

"'Stop and Frisk' is an assault on the civil rights of New Yorkers," said Mr. Espaillat, who is Chair of the State Senate's Latino Caucus. "It harms law and order by creating distrust between police and local communities; it violates the civil liberties of individuals who are stopped without rhyme or reason; and it violates every notion of justice and due process our society is built on. The Federal Government has an important role to play in protecting the rights of citizens and we are calling on the Justice Department to step in and stop this unconstitutional and unjust practice from continuing."

Scott Stringer speaking at City Hall yesterday. (Photo: Hunter Walker)

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and Councilman Jumaane Williams held a press conference outside City Hall yesterday where they called on Mayor Michael Bloomberg to end the NYPD's controversial stop-and-frisk policy in the wake of a report by the New York Civil Liberties Union showing the police department stopped and interrogated a record number of people last year. The NYCLU report showed the NYPD conducted stop-and-frisks 684,330, the highest total since the department began collecting stop-and-frisk statistics in 2002 and a 603 percent increase since that year. About 87 percent of those stopped and frisked were black or Latino.

"This report, I think, makes it very clear that it is time to end this policy of stop and frisk as presently constituted," Mr. Stringer said. "Communities of people who are caucasian, people who look like me, never worry about their child or grandchild going to the store for a glass of milk. They're not worried about the police, they welcome the police on their street corner." 

Mr. Stringer, a likely 2013 mayoral candidate, asked Mayor Bloomberg to "step out of the shadow" of NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly and lead on this issue."

"Mayor Bloomberg, you've done some great things and we're very proud of Commissioner Kelly, but we must ask you now to stand up and say something," he said.

Mr. Williams began his remarks by wishing Mayor Bloomberg, who turned 70 yesterday, a happy birthday.

"First, as a human being to another human being, I want to wish Mayor Bloomberg a happy birthday," Mr. Williams said. "Now we've got to get down to business, because the mayor, on this issue and as it relates to communities of more color, I believe he's doing a terrible job."

The NYPD has defended stop and frisk by saying the policy helped them take about 800 guns off the street. Mr. Williams suggested gun buyback programs would be a more effective alternative.

"Any time you hear that a young, unarmed person was killed, you can bet everybody's bank account here that they were black or latino," Mr. Williams said. "There are more guns taken off the street by gun buyback programs. Where are the monies for those programs?"

Kirsten John Foy, the director of community affairs for public advocate and likely 2013 mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio, was also on hand at the press conference to read a statement on Mr. de Blasio's behalf.

"There is a place for stop and frisk in our police tactics, but not on the scale or in the way that the NYDP is using it today. If we are truly going to be committed to convincing communities around this city that law enforcement are partners with communities, we have to reign in this policy," the statement said.

The NYPD has argued minorities are targeted for stop-and-frisks more often because the majority of criminal suspects are black or latino. Mr. Williams dismissed that rationalization.

"You can quote me on my answer, that's bullshit," he said. "If that was the case, we'd see every white man with a suit stopped--and with a briefcase, because they may be committing a financial crime."

A photo from the flyer advertising the Occupy Wall Street #J15 MLK Day Rally (Photo: J15Global.org)

Occupy Wall Street protesters have been fairly quiet since their rally in Duarte Square last month, but the group is planning a series of candlelight vigils on Sunday to celebrate Martin Luther King Day with the support of local politicians, Russell Simmons and a pair of 1960's folk musicians.

Vigils will be held in New York in Bay Ridge, Staten Island and at Riverside Church in Manhattan. Organizers also promise affiliated candlelight vigils in Egypt, California, Canada and Australia. Occupy Wall Street has collected 277 signatures of those pledging to participate on a petition. Signatories include Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, writer Reza Aslan, country singer and "The Wire" actor Steve Earle, the rapper K'Naan, former NYCLU Director Norman Siegel and Councilmen Ydanis Rodriguez and Jumaane Williams.

Last night, Occupiers celebrated after the barricades surrounding Zuccotti Park were taken down for the first time since the Occupy Wall Street encampment was evicted in November. Though, the park had not been closed and the police say they still plan to enforce the rules banning tents and camping, the removal of the barricades was seen as a symbolic victory for the group. Barricades were taken down after the Department of Buildings received a letter challenging their legality from the National Lawyers Guild and the New York Civil Liberties Union, among others. Despite the celebrations last night, early this morning WABC News reported that only a small group of protesters remained in the park.

Update 10:55 AM: An earlier version of this post left off the "former" in Mr. Siegel's title.