DATE:
TIME:
SER#:

03/02/2015
17:31:13
14049620

FINEST MESSAGE
General Administrative Information

TO:

ALL COMMANDS

RE:
COURT-ORDERED CHANGES TO NYPD PRACTICES AND POLICES RELATED TO STOPS AND
FRISKS

THIS FINEST MESSAGE IS BEING TRANSMITTED AS DIRECTED BY THE FEDERAL DISTRICT
COURT IN THE CASE OF FLOYD V. CITY OF NEW YORK, WHICH INVOLVES NYPD POLICIES
AND PRACTICES RELATED TO STOP, QUESTION, AND FRISK. THE CASE IS NOW SETTLED
AND, WITH THE AGREEMENT OF THE NYPD AND THE OTHER PARTIES, THE COURT HAS
ISSUED AN ORDER REQUIRING THAT CERTAIN CHANGES BE MADE AND HAS APPOINTED A
MONITOR, PETER ZIMROTH, WHOSE TASKS INCLUDE WORKING WITH THE PARTIES TO INSURE
THAT THOSE CHANGES ARE MADE.
THIS MESSAGE OUTLINES BELOW SOME OF THE ACTIONS REQUIRED BY THE COURT'S ORDER.
I.

IMMEDIATE REFORMS ORDERED BY THE COURT AND AGREED TO BYTHE NYPD

(1) THE NYPD IS REQUIRED TO REVISE ITS POLICIES AND TRAINING REGARDING STOP
AND FRISK AND RACIAL PROFILING TO ADHERE TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION AND
NEW YORK LAW.
(2) THE DEPARTMENT FORM ENTITLED STOP, QUESTION AND FRISK REPORT WORKSHEET (PD
344-151A), COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A UF 250 FORM, MUST BE REVISED TO INCLUDE A
NARRATIVE SECTION WHERE AN OFFICER MUST RECORD, IN HIS OR HER OWN WORDS, THE
BASIS FOR THE STOP. THE NEW FORM MUST ALSO INCLUDE A SEPARATE EXPLANATION OF
WHY A FRISK WAS CONDUCTED. THE CHECKBOX SYSTEM CURRENTLY IN USE MUST BE
SIMPLIFIED AND IMPROVED.
(3) THE NYPD MUST REFORM ITS SUPERVISORY, MONITORING, AND DISCIPLINARY
POLICIES AND PRACTICES. THESE REFORMS INCLUDE: (I) THE ADOPTION OF NEW
POLICIES ENSURING THAT NYPD SUPERVISORS REVIEW THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF STOPS
CONDUCTED BY POLICE OFFICERS; (II) CHANGES TO THE PROCESS FOR IMPOSING
DISCIPLINE ON OFFICERS FOLLOWING SUBSTANTIATED CCRB FINDINGS OF MISCONDUCT
DURING STOPS; AND (III) THE TRACKING AND INVESTIGATING OF CIVILIAN COMPLAINTS
OF RACIAL PROFILING BY THE NYPD.

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(4) BODY-WORN CAMERAS THE NYPD MUST INSTITUTE A PILOT PROJECT IN WHICH
BODY-WORN CAMERAS ARE WORN FOR A ONE YEAR PERIOD BY OFFICERS ON PATROL IN ONE
PRECINCT PER BOROUGH SPECIFICALLY THE PRECINCT WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF
STOPS DURING 2012. THE CURRENT VOLUNTARY BODY-WORN CAMERA PROJECT, WHICH WAS
LAUNCHED IN NOVEMBER 2014 PURSUANT TO OPERATIONS ORDER NO. 48, IS NOT THE
COURT-ORDERED PILOT PROJECT.
II. JOINT REMEDIAL PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING SUPPLEMENTAL REFORMS
THE CITY AND THE PLAINTIFFS MUST ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE JOINT REMEDIAL
PROCESS UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A FACILITATOR APPOINTED BY THE COURT. THE
PURPOSE OF THE JOINT REMEDIAL PROCESS IS TO GET INPUT FROM THE NYPD, MEMBERS
OF THE COMMUNITY, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AND TO SEE WHETHER OTHER REMEDIAL
MEASURES CAN BE DEVELOPED.
III. BASIC CONSTITUTIONAL STANDARDS GOVERNING STOP AND FRISK
(1) WHAT IS A STOP?
UNDER THE FOURTH AMENDMENT, AN ENCOUNTER BETWEEN A POLICE OFFICER AND A
CIVILIAN CONSTITUTES A STOP WHENEVER A REASONABLE PERSON WOULD NOT FEEL FREE
TO DISREGARD THE OFFICER AND WALK AWAY. A STOP MAY TAKE PLACE EVEN WITHOUT THE
THREAT OR USE OF FORCE BY THE OFFICER. ENCOUNTERS INVOLVING COMMANDS OR
ACCUSATORY QUESTIONS CAN RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A STOP, PROVIDED THAT A
REASONABLE PERSON WOULD CONCLUDE THAT HE OR SHE IS NOT FREE TO TERMINATE THE
ENCOUNTER. WHETHER AN ENCOUNTER BETWEEN A POLICE OFFICER AND A MEMBER OF THE
PUBLIC CONSTITUTES A STOP WILL BE JUDGED BY ALL OF THE FACTS SURROUNDING THE
ENCOUNTER. THE OFFICER'S CONDUCT TOWARDS THE INDIVIDUAL INVOLVED WILL BE A
SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN DETERMINING WHETHER A STOP OCCURRED.
(2) WHEN MAY A STOP BE CONDUCTED?
IN ORDER TO CONDUCT A STOP, AN OFFICER MUST HAVE INDIVIDUALIZED, REASONABLE
SUSPICION THAT THE PERSON STOPPED HAS COMMITTED, IS COMMITTING, OR IS ABOUT TO
COMMIT A FELONY OR PENAL LAW MISDEMEANOR. IN ADDITION, THE OFFICER MUST BE
ABLE TO ARTICULATE FACTS ESTABLISHING A MINIMAL LEVEL OF OBJECTIVE
JUSTIFICATION FOR MAKING THE STOP, WHICH MEANS MORE THAN A MERE SUSPICION OR A
HUNCH. "FURTIVE MOVEMENTS" OR MERE PRESENCE IN A "HIGH CRIME AREA," STANDING
ALONE, ARE INSUFFICIENT BASES FOR A STOP OR A FRISK. MOREOVER, EVEN WHEN USED
IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER STOP FACTORS, THE STOPPING OFFICER MUST BE ABLE TO
SPECIFICALLY DESCRIBE THE SUSPICIOUS NATURE OF THE "FURTIVE MOVEMENTS" THAT HE
OR SHE OBSERVED, AND HE OR SHE MUST NOT DEFINE THE "HIGH-CRIME AREA" TOO
BROADLY, SUCH AS ENCOMPASSING AN ENTIRE PRECINCT OR BOROUGH. IN ADDITION, A
PERSON MAY NOT BE STOPPED MERELY BECAUSE HE OR SHE MATCHES A GENERALIZED
DESCRIPTION OF A CRIME SUSPECT, SUCH AS AN 18 TO 25-YEAR-OLD BLACK MALE; IF A
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PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION IS THE ONLY FACTOR RELIED ON BY THE STOPPING OFFICER, IT
MUST BE MORE SPECIFIC THAN THAT TO FORM A SUFFICIENT BASIS FOR A STOP.
(3) WHEN MAY A FRISK BE CONDUCTED?
HAVING REASONABLE SUSPICION TO STOP DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY PERMIT THE OFFICER
TO FRISK THE PERSON STOPPED. THE OFFICER MUST HAVE AN INDEPENDENT BASIS TO
REASONABLY SUSPECT THAT A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN STOPPED IS ARMED AND DANGEROUS
IN ORDER TO FRISK THAT PERSON. IN DETERMINING WHETHER A PERSON PRESENTS SUCH A
DANGER, AN OFFICER MAY CONSIDER ALL OF THE RELEVANT FACTORS INCLUDING THE
SUSPECT'S BEHAVIOR, PRIOR KNOWLEDGE THAT THE SUSPECT IS KNOWN TO CARRY
WEAPONS, THE TYPE OF CRIME FOR WHICH THE PERSON HAS BEEN STOPPED, AND ANY
OTHER INFORMATION THAT SUPPORTS THE CONCLUSION THAT THE PERSON IS ARMED AND
POSES A DANGER TO THE OFFICER.
A FRISK IS NOT A SEARCH FOR EVIDENCE OF A CRIME, BUT IS INSTEAD LIMITED IN
SCOPE ONLY TO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF THE STOPPING OFFICER
DURING A STOP ENCOUNTER. THUS, A FRISK IS LIMITED TO A PAT-DOWN OF THE OUTER
CLOTHING OF THE SUSPECT TO DETERMINE IF THE SUSPECT HAS A WEAPON. IF DURING
THE COURSE OF THE PAT-DOWN, THE OFFICER FEELS AN OBJECT THAT THE OFFICER
REASONABLY SUSPECTS IS A WEAPON, THE OFFICER MAY TAKE WHATEVER ACTION IS
NECESSARY TO RETRIEVE THE OBJECT AND PROTECT HIMSELF OR HERSELF, INCLUDING
REMOVING THE OBJECT FROM THE CLOTHING OF THE PERSON STOPPED. HOWEVER, AN
OFFICER MAY NOT CONDUCT A GENERAL SEARCH OF THE INSIDE OF SUSPECT'S CLOTHING
OR BELONGINGS UNLESS THE OFFICER HAS PROBABLE CAUSE TO BELIEVE THE SUSPECT IS
INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY OR IS IN POSSESSION OF ILLEGAL MATERIALS.
PROBABLE CAUSE IS A HIGHER STANDARD OF PROOF THAN THE REASONABLE SUSPICION
REQUIRED FOR A STOP AND FRISK.
IV. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STANDARDS DESCRIBED ABOVE AND NEW
YORK LAW ON STOP AND FRISK?
THE STANDARDS DESCRIBED ABOVE ARE THE BASIC FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL STANDARDS
FOR CONDUCTING A STOP AND FRISK. NEW YORK LAW IS AND MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH
THESE FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL STANDARDS. NEW YORK HAS CODIFIED THE AUTHORITY
FOR CONDUCTING A STOP AND FRISK IN CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW SECTION 140.50.
UNDER NEW YORK LAW, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS PLACED UPON ENCOUNTERS
BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE PUBLIC THAT DO NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A
REASONABLE SUSPICION-BASED STOP. THE FIRST TYPE OF ENCOUNTER, SOMETIMES
REFERRED TO AS A LEVEL 1 ENCOUNTER OR APPROACH TO REQUEST INFORMATION, DOES
NOT REQUIRE ANY SUSPICION OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, BUT MUST HAVE SOME OBJECTIVE
BASIS. IN A LEVEL 1 APPROACH, THE OFFICER MUST HAVE AN OBJECTIVE, CREDIBLE
REASON FOR THE APPROACH. AT THIS LEVEL, ACCUSATORY QUESTIONS ARE NOT
PERMISSIBLE, NOR MAY AN OFFICER SEEK CONSENT TO CONDUCT A SEARCH. AT ALL TIMES
DURING A LEVEL 1 ENCOUNTER, THE PERSON IS FREE TO LEAVE. IN A LEVEL 1
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ENCOUNTER, THE OFFICER MAY NOT CREATE A SITUATION (EITHER BY WORDS OR ACTIONS)
WHERE THE PERSON DOES NOT FEEL FREE TO LEAVE.
IF AN OFFICER HAS A FOUNDED SUSPICION THAT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IS AFOOT,
COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A LEVEL 2 ENCOUNTER, AN OFFICER MAY APPROACH AN
INDIVIDUAL TO ASK ACCUSATORY QUESTIONS OR TO SEEK CONSENT TO SEARCH. AT ALL
TIMES DURING THIS TYPE OF ENCOUNTER THE PERSON IS FREE TO WALK AWAY AND MAY
REFUSE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OR OTHERWISE COOPERATE. IN A LEVEL 2 ENCOUNTER, AN
OFFICER MAY NOT CREATE A SITUATION (EITHER BY WORDS OR ACTIONS) WHERE THE
PERSON DOES NOT FEEL FREE TO LEAVE. IF THE OFFICER DOES CREATE SUCH A
SITUATION, THAT CONSTITUTES A LEVEL 3 ENCOUNTER, WHICH IS THE SAME AS A STOP
AND REQUIRES THAT THE STOPPING OFFICER HAVE INDIVIDUALIZED, REASONABLE
SUSPICION OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. OFFICERS ARE REMINDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE FACTS
THAT DEVELOP DURING A LEVEL 1 OR 2 ENCOUNTER CAN SOMETIMES PROVIDE THE OFFICER
WITH AN APPROPRIATE BASIS TO REASONABLY SUSPECT THAT THE PERSON IS COMMITTING,
HAS COMMITTED OR IS ABOUT TO COMMIT A FELONY OR PENAL LAW MISDEMEANOR.
V. RACIAL PROFILING
THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION PROHIBITS, THE USE OF RACE, COLOR, ETHNICITY, OR
NATIONAL ORIGIN AS A MOTIVATING FACTOR FOR INITIATING POLICE ACTION. WHEN AN
OFFICER'S DECISION TO INITIATE ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST A PERSON IS
MOTIVATED EVEN IN PART BY THE PERSON'S RACE, COLOR, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN, THAT
ENFORCEMENT ACTION VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTION UNLESS THE OFFICER'S DECISION IS
BASED ON A SPECIFIC AND RELIABLE SUSPECT DESCRIPTION THAT INCLUDES NOT JUST
RACE, BUT OTHER IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS. MEMBERS OF THE SERVICE ARE
ADVISED THAT DEPARTMENT POLICY PROHIBITING RACIAL PROFILING, PG 203-25, DATED
AUGUST 1, 2013, IS HEREBY REVOKED. INDIVIDUALS MAY NOT BE TARGETED FOR STOPS
AND FRISKS BECAUSE THEY ARE MEMBERS OF A RACIAL OR ETHNIC GROUP THAT APPEARS
MORE FREQUENTLY IN LOCAL CRIME SUSPECT DATA. RACE MAY ONLY BE CONSIDERED WHERE
THE STOP IS BASED ON A SPECIFIC AND RELIABLE SUSPECT DESCRIPTION THAT INCLUDES
NOT JUST RACE, BUT OTHER IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS. WHEN AN OFFICER CARRIES
OUT A STOP BASED ON REASONABLE SUSPICION THAT A PERSON FITS SUCH A
DESCRIPTION, THE OFFICER MAY CONSIDER THE RACE OF THE SUSPECT, JUST AS THE
OFFICER MAY CONSIDER THE SUSPECT'S HEIGHT OR HAIR COLOR. WHEN A STOP IS NOT
BASED ON A SPECIFIC SUSPECT DESCRIPTION, HOWEVER, RACE MAY NOT BE USED AT ALL
AS A MOTIVATION OR JUSTIFICATION FOR THE STOP.

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VI. CONCLUSION
MEMBERS OF THE SERVICE ARE DIRECTED TO IMMEDIATELY COMPLY WITH THE STANDARDS
DISCUSSED IN THIS FINEST MESSAGE AND TO COOPERATE WITH THE MONITOR AND HIS
STAFF. COMMANDING OFFICERS OF ALL PRECINCTS, PSAS, AND TRANSIT DISTRICTS ARE
DIRECTED TO ENSURE THAT THIS FINEST MESSAGE IS READ AT TEN CONSECUTIVE ROLL
CALLS. IN ADDITION, A COPY OF THIS MESSAGE SHALL BE POSTED CONSPICUOUSLY IN
ALL SUCH COMMANDS AND PROVIDED TO ALL OFFICERS. ADDITIONAL TRAINING ON THE
STANDARDS DISCUSSED HEREIN WILL BE PROVIDED TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE SERVICE.
QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS FINEST MESSAGE MAY BE DIRECTED TO DEPUTY CHIEF KERRY
SWEET, COMMANDING OFFICER LEGAL BUREAU, AT (646) 610-5400 OR BY EMAIL TO:
KERRY.SWEET@NYPD.ORG. ADDITIONALLY, MEMBERS OF THE SERVICE MAY CONFER WITH A
DEPARTMENT ATTORNEY BETWEEN 0700 AND 2300 HOURS, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, EITHER
IN-PERSON AT THE LEGAL BUREAU (ONE POLICE PLAZA, ROOM 1406A, NEW YORK, NY
10038) OR BY TELEPHONE TO (646) 610-5400. DURING OTHER TIMES, CONTACT THE
OPERATIONS UNIT AT (646) 610-5580 TO BE PUT IN TOUCH WITH A DEPARTMENT
ATTORNEY.
TO BE READ AT TEN (10) CONSECUTIVE ROLL CALLS AND POSTED IN A CONSPICUOUS
LOCATION WITHIN THE COMMAND FOR THE BENEFIT OF MEMBERS OF THE SERVICE.
AUTHORITY: POLICE COMMISSIONER
OPERATOR: LT CORBETT

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