Stop-and-Frisk Data

The NYPD has conducted millions of stop-and-frisks in New York City over the last two decades. The majority of those stopped are people of color, and a vastly disproportionate number are Black. There is no evidence that ramping up stops makes New Yorkers safer. But we do know that many of these stops have been unlawful and that some have led to violent police misconduct. The following is an analysis of New York City’s stop-and-frisk data, including a list of stops by year.

Stop-and-Frisk Over Time

Stop-and-frisk was a signature policy of the Bloomberg administration. Over 96 percent of all stops that occurred from 2003-2023 took place during his time in office. While comparatively fewer stops occurred during the de Blasio administration – nearly 135,000 – enormous racial disparities have persisted every year. In 2022, the first year of the Adams administration, the NYPD made over 15,000 stops, the largest number of stops since 2015. This rising trend continued into 2023 where nearly 17,000 stops were made.  

Reported Stops (2018-2023)

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Stop Characteristics

Once a civilian is stopped, the NYPD may “frisk” the external clothing of an individual if the officer has a reason to believe the person stopped has a weapon that poses a threat to the officer’s safety or “search” the individual or their belongings if the officer has probable cause to believe that the individual is engaged in criminal activity. A stop may also involve an officer using physical “force” against the civilian. Civilians who are stopped may be given a summons (a violation, like a ticket) or arrested if the police find evidence of wrongdoing.

The overwhelming majority of people stopped by the NYPD have been innocent, meaning the NYPD found no evidence of wrongdoing and the civilian was not given a summons or arrested.

Stop Characteristics by Mayoral Administration

Between 2003-2013, nearly 90 percent of stops did not lead to a summons or arrest. Since 2013, the arrest rate has risen because the number of overall stops has decreased significantly. The rate at which the NYPD are frisking or searching civilians has also risen sharply. In first two years of the Adams Administration, 76 percent of the people stopped by the NYPD were frisked or searched. 

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According to the NYPD's Annual Reports:

  • in 2023, 16,971 stops were recorded.
    11,613 were not arrested or given a summons (68 percent).
    9,939 were Black (59 percent).
    5,166 were Latinx (30 percent).
    942 were white (6 percent).
    288 were Asian / Pacific Islander (2 percent).
    142 were Middle Eastern / Southwest Asian (1 percent).
     

  • In 2022, 15,102 stops were recorded.
    9,750 were not arrested or given a summons (65 percent).
    8,863 were Black (59 percent). 
    4,477 were Latinx (30 percent).
    1,077 were white (7 percent).
    320 were Asian / Pacific Islander (2 percent).
    148 were Middle Eastern/Southwest Asian (1 percent).
     

  • In 2021, 8,947 stops were recorded.
    5,422 were innocent (61 percent).
    5,404 were Black (60 percent).
    2,457 were Latinx (27 percent).
    732 were white (8 percent).
    192 were Asian / Pacific Islander (2 percent).
    71 were Middle Eastern/Southwest Asian (1 percent).
     

  • In 2020, 9,544 stops were recorded.
    5,791 were innocent (61 percent).
    5,367 were Black (56 percent).
    2,879 were Latinx (30 percent).
    856 were white (9 percent).
    219 were Asian / Pacific Islander (2 percent).
    132 were Middle Eastern/Southwest Asian (1.4 percent).
     

  • In 2019, 13,459 stops were recorded. 
    8,867 were innocent (66 percent).
    7,981 were Black (59 percent).
    3,869 were Latinx (29 percent).
    1,215 were white (9 percent). 
     
  • In 2018, 11,008 NYPD stops were recorded. 
    7,645 were innocent (70 percent).
    6,241 were Black (57 percent).
    3,389 were Latinx (31 percent).
    1,074 were white (10 percent).
     
  • In 2017, 11,629 NYPD stops were recorded. 
    7,833 were innocent (67 percent).
    6,595 were Black (57 percent).
    3,567 were Latinx (31 percent).
    977 were white (8 percent).
     
  • In 2016, 12,404 NYPD stops were recorded. 
    9,394 were innocent (76 percent).
    6,498 were Black (52 percent).
    3,626 were Latinx (29 percent).
    1,270 were white (10 percent).
     
  • In 2015, 22,565 NYPD stops were recorded.
    18,353 were innocent (80 percent).
    12,223 were Black (54 percent).
    6,598 were Latinx (29 percent).
    2,567 were white (11 percent).
     
  • In 2014, 45,787 NYPD stops were recorded.
    37,744 were innocent (82 percent).
    24,319 were Black (53 percent).
    12,489 were Latinx (27 percent).
    5,467 were white (12 percent).
     
  • In 2013, 191,851 NYPD stops were recorded.
    169,252 were innocent (88 percent).
    104,958 were Black (56 percent).
    55,191 were Latinx (29 percent).
    20,877 were white (11 percent).
     
  • In 2012, 532,911 NYPD stops were recorded.
    473,644 were innocent (89 percent).
    284,229 were Black (55 percent).
    165,140 were Latinx (32 percent).
    50,366 were white (10 percent).
     
  • In 2011, 685,724 NYPD stops were recorded.
    605,328 were innocent (88 percent).
    350,743 were Black (53 percent).
    223,740 were Latinx (34 percent).
    61,805 were white (9 percent).
    341,581 were aged 14-24 (51 percent).
     
  • In 2010, 601,285 NYPD stops were recorded.
    518,849 were innocent (86 percent).
    315,083 were Black (54 percent).
    189,326 were Latinx (33 percent).
    54,810 were white (9 percent).
    295,902 were aged 14-24 (49 percent).
     
  • In 2009, 581,168 NYPD stops were recorded.
    510,742 were innocent (88 percent).
    310,611 were Black (55 percent).
    180,055 were Latinx (32 percent).
    53,601 were white (10 percent).
    289,602 were aged 14-24 (50 percent).
     
  • In 2008, 540,302 NYPD stops were recorded.
    474,387 were innocent (88 percent).
    275,588 were Black (53 percent).
    168,475 were Latinx (32 percent).
    57,650 were white (11 percent).
    263,408 were aged 14-24 (49 percent).
     
  • In 2007, 472,096 NYPD stops were recorded.
    410,936 were innocent (87 percent).
    243,766 were Black (54 percent).
    141,868 were Latinx (31 percent).
    52,887 were white (12 percent).
    223,783 were aged 14-24 (48 percent).
     
  • In 2006, 506,491 NYPD stops were recorded.
    457,163 were innocent (90 percent).
    267,468 were Black (53 percent).
    147,862 were Latinx (29 percent).
    53,500 were white (11 percent).
    247,691 were aged 14-24 (50 percent).
     
  • In 2005, 398,191 NYPD stops were recorded.
    352,348 were innocent (89 percent).
    196,570 were Black (54 percent).
    115,088 were Latinx (32 percent).
    40,713 were white (11 percent).
    189,854 were aged 14-24 (51 percent).
     
  • In 2004, 313,523 NYPD stops were recorded.
    278,933 were innocent (89 percent).
    155,033 were Black (55 percent).
    89,937 were Latinx (32 percent).
    28,913 were white (10 percent).
    152,196 were aged 14-24 (52 percent).
     
  • In 2003, 160,851 NYPD stops were recorded.
    140,442 were innocent (87 percent).
    77,704 were Black (54 percent).
    44,581 were Latinx (31 percent).
    17,623 were white (12 percent).
    83,499 were aged 14-24 (55 percent).
     
  • In 2002, 97,296 NYPD stops were recorded.
    80,176 were innocent (82 percent).

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About the Data:

Every time a police officer stops a person in NYC, the officer is supposed to fill out a form recording the details of the stop. The forms were filled out by hand and manually entered into an NYPD database until 2017, when the forms became electronic. The NYPD reports stop-and-frisk data in two ways: a summary report released quarterly and a complete database released annually to the public.

The quarterly reports are released by the NYCLU every three months (available here) include data on stops, arrests, and summonses. The data are broken down by precinct of the stop and race and gender of the person stopped.

The annual database includes nearly all of the data recorded by the police officer after a stop such as the age of the person stopped, if a person was frisked, if there was a weapon or firearm recovered, if physical force was used, and the exact location of the stop within the precinct. The NYPD uploads this databe to their website annually. The most recent annual dataset and codebook is located below. It contains over 100 variables and 15,102 observations, each of which represents a stop conducted by an NYPD officer.