Stop and Frisk: Revisit or Resist WHYY

Stop and frisk, the controversial policing method, has been a point of discussion for Philadelphia community members impacted by violence. Some want to see it visibly enforced and others are against it. The history of stop and frisk in Philly has been dark. Far too often it has been used as a tool of racial profiling. But as the incidents of gun violence skyrocket, stronger enforcement of the dubious tactic is being floated as a potential solution.

Some Philadelphians are feeling desperate for a solution to gun violence, even if it is potentially harmful. A more visible stop and frisk policing method is being debated as gun violence soars in the City of Brotherly Love. The people most likely to be stopped and frisked are young Black men. Learn why these targets don’t support it.

Sgt. Michael Spicer patrols Kensington’s distressed streets. Central to the question of solving Philadelphia’s gun violence crisis is the role that law enforcement should play in the most affected neighborhoods. The city allocatesmore funding toward policing every year, but the homicide numbers don’t budge. Spicer explains why Black men are targeted for stops and why stop and frisk is complicated.

Stop and frisk is a divisive topic in Philadelphia, with political implications. Gun violence and public safety are bound to be central campaign topics in the upcoming 2023 mayoral election, and candidates are already talking about policing practices. Former Mayor Michael Nutter explains why he supports stop and frisk, and current mayoral candidates share their perspectives on public safety. Meanwhile, residents, including children, continue to take to the streets to decry the lack of coordination between the Philadelphia Police Department, City Hall, the District Attorney’s Office, and community organizations tackling the crisis.

In Episode 5 of “Stop and Frisk: Revisit or Resist,” a podcast produced by WHYY and Temple University’s Logan Center for Urban Investigative Reporting, WHYY gun violence prevention reporter Sam Searles and Temple University student Kole Long host a panel of concerned community members.

Stop and Frisk: Revisit or Resist explores this controversial policing method and solutions to Philadelphia’s gun violence crisis. Launch date is Nov. 15, 2022.