The New York Police Department stopped and frisked 575,304 people last year, an eight percent increase from
2008. The figure is a new record high.
The numbers were sent to the City Council Tuesday. The policy is contentious. Only six percent of the stops in 2009 resulted in arrests, about the same as last year. And the majority of those stopped were black and Hispanic men. Civil rights groups say the numbers are disproportionate and discriminatory.
Officers recovered over 7,600 weapons last year from the stops, up nearly 10 percent from the year before. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly says the policy is an integral part of police strategy.
There are 8.3 million people in the city of New York. In 2008,531,159 people were stopped.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
