Ray Kelly questions use of cameras after "stop-and-frisk" ruling
Rather than completely throw out the New York City Police Department's "stop-and-frisk" policy, a federal judge last week ordered the city to reform the practice, in part by having officers wear cameras in the police precinct where most stops occurred.
On CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday, New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the judge's order to use body cameras "opens up certainly more questions than it answers."
"When do you have the cameras on?" he asked. "When do you turn them off? Do you have it on during a domestic dispute? Do you have it on when somebody comes to give you confidential information? All of these issues have to be answered."
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U.S. District Court Judge Shira Scheindlin said "stop-and-frisk" is unconstitutional because it intentionally discriminates based on race. In addition to using body cameras, she named an independent monitor to develop reforms to the policy and provide the police department with training and supervision. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is appealing the decision and has asked for a stay.
"The judge, in this case, has indicted an entire police department -- almost 36,000 police officers -- for racial profiling based on what we believe is very flimsy information, flimsy evidence," Kelly said.
The ruling was "ironic," Kelly added, given that the New York City Police Department is one of the most diverse police department's in the country, with police officers born in 88 countries.
"We look like the city that we police," he said.
Later on "Face the Nation," Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said he was "surprised" anybody would defend "stop-and-frisk."
"As applied, it's very discriminatory," he said. "It overwhelmingly applies to minority areas. Most of the people that are told to get up against the wall and get stopped and frisked are innocent. There's no probable cause... If you tried that in some other communities, there'd be outrage, and there's rightfully outrage in the minority community about this."
Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said there's "no question it's been effective in reducing crime in New York City." However, he added, "you've got to protect civil liberties at the same time. So it's certainly appropriate to review it."
