Judge Limits NYC's 'Stop and Frisk' Policy

Mayor Bloomberg says his controversial "stop-and-frisk" strategy has led to a sharp drop in crime in New York City, but a federal judge today ruled that at least one aspect of it goes too far, reports the New York Post. The judge ruled that police can no longer stop people outside private apartment buildings in the Bronx simply because the buildings are in high-crime areas. From now on, police need "reasonable suspicion" to frisk someone— and simply being a pedestrian in a rough neighborhood isn't enough.

“For those of us who do not fear being stopped as we approach or leave our own homes or those of our friends and families, it is difficult to believe that residents of one of our boroughs live under such a threat," wrote Judge Shira A. Scheindlin, reports the New York Times. "In light of the evidence presented at the hearing, however, I am compelled to conclude that this is the case.” Scheindlin has two other cases involving broader parts of the stop-and-frisk policy still pending. (More New York City stories.)