stop and frisk

noun

a policy that permits a police officer to momentarily detain and pat down or search a person suspected of criminal activity, especially when suspected of concealing a weapon.

Origin of stop and frisk

First recorded in 1960–65

Also called stop, ask, and frisk; stop, question, and frisk.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for stop and frisk

Contemporary Examples of stop and frisk

The reason was simple, stop-and-frisk was the high profile cause that grabbed headlines.
Was it Justice or Politics that Killled the NYPD Muslim Spy Unit?
Azi Paybarah
April 16, 2014
But a seemingly undue reliance on stop-and-frisk in particular caused tensions in minority neighborhoods.
My Patrol With the NYPD’s Bill Bratton
Michael Daly
March 14, 2014
The mayor-elect turned serious when asked how the appointment jibed with his call for the curtailment of stop-and-frisk.
Can Bill Bratton Solve De Blasio’s NYPD Dilemma?
Michael Daly
December 5, 2013
He also promised to reign in stop-and-frisk as it had come to be practiced.
Can Bill Bratton Solve De Blasio’s NYPD Dilemma?
Michael Daly
December 5, 2013
H suggested many cops would in fact welcome the end of stop-and-frisk.
Bill De Blasio’s Retro Values Are Back in Fashion
Michael Daly
September 30, 2013