Politics & Government

Vallone Challenges Quinn Over Stop-and-Frist Bill

Bias-prevention law focused on disparate stop-and-frisk numbers.

by Matthew Hampton
An upcoming vote on an anti-racial profiling bill is splitting the New York City Council, and causing some rifts among current members seeking higher office, according to a report in the New York Post.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, a leading mayoral candidate, took some flack Wednesday from Peter Vallone, who's in the middle of a bid for Queens Borough President.

Vallone told the paper that he believes the vote on the bill is little more than an effort to pander to large city voting blocks in advance of this fall's election. 

The bill in question seeks to prohibit race-based stops by police in neighborhoods predominantly populated by residents of color.

"Black and Latino New Yorkers face the brunt of this practice and consistently represent more than 80 percent of people stopped despite representing just over 50 percent of the city's population," the text of the bill reads. "Moreover, stop-and-frisk practices have not increased public safety, as year-after-year nearly 90 percent of individuals stopped are neither arrested nor issued a summons."

The bill also reads that "bias-based policing endangers New York City's long tradition of serving as a welcoming place for people of all backgrounds."

Vallone, who chairs the council's public safety committee, believes that the law is too broad, handcuffing police and making nearly any arrest or stop subject to a court hearing.

Quinn and the bill's main sponsor, Councilman Jumaane Williams, planned to circumvent Vallone by bringing the bill directly to the floor, rather than letting the bill languish in his committee, the Post wrote.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here