Mayor De Blasio Declares Stop-And-Frisk 'Problem Is Being Solved'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who campaigned on reforms to the controversial NYPD stop-and-frisk program, is already touting progress.
As WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reported, the police practice was the Democrat's biggest campaign issue and helped propel him to the top of the pack during the primary.
Mayor de Blasio acknowledged that, despite its resistance, the Bloomberg administration reduced the number of stops and frisks.
"The stop-and-frisk problem in New York City is being solved as we speak," said the mayor. "Because the numbers were going down before and we're going to continue to bring them down to the level that is appropriate."
De Blasio pushed for more community policing and tapped Bill Bratton to lead the NYPD. Opponents of stop-and-frisk labeled the practice racial profiling.
"A certain amount of change has already begun, more will happen and the proof will be in the pudding as we talk to people at the community level. We have to keep each and every neighborhood safe while creating a fair and respectful atmosphere," said the mayor.
Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly defended the program as a key crime-fighting tool and blasted claims that the practice was discriminatory.
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