Authorizing City Council's Committee on Public Safety to hold public hearings to investigate proposals for expanded use of the police tactic known as "stop, question and frisk," often referred to as "stop and frisk."

WHEREAS, Philadelphia is experiencing an increase in the incidence of violent crimes, with the number of murders this year reaching near-record proportions; and

WHEREAS, There were 406 murders in the City of Philadelphia last year and currently there have been 308 murders so far this year; and

WHEREAS, The murder rate for 2006 in the City of Philadelphia was 27.8 per every 100,000 people compared to New York City where the murder rate was 4.8 murders for every 100,000 people; and

WHEREAS, Proposals have been made to expand the use of the police tactic known as "stop, question and frisk," often referred to as "stop and frisk" in high crime areas; and

WHEREAS, Empirical evidence from New York City shows that stop, question and frisk in combination with other police tactics has been effective in reducing violent crime and the number of murders committed each year there; and

WHEREAS, A 1999 report issued by the New York State Attorney General concluded that "the role of 'stop and frisk' in furthering the (New York City Police) Department's goals of order maintenance, deterrence, crime prevention, and a direct attack on gun violence is clear. Given the Department's focus on apprehending violent criminals and preventing more serious crimes by aggressively enforcing laws aimed at low-level criminality, 'stop & frisk' serves as an important wedge into the criminal element"; and

WHEREAS, The murder rate in New York City is dramatically lower than in Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, A number of prominent researchers have concluded that concentrated police tactics like "stop, question and frisk" are having a positive impact in reducing violent crime and homicide rates; and

WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the City of Philadelphia to explore all possible avenues to reduce violent crime and the current homicide rate; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council hereby authorizes City Council's Committee on Public Safety to hold public hearings to investigate proposals for expanded use of the police tactic known as "stop, question and frisk," often referred to as "stop and frisk."

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