English

Alternative forms

• stop-and-frisk, stop and search

Adjective

stop-and-search

1. (law, law enforcement) Of or pertaining to laws or policing practices, found in some jurisdictions, which permit a law enforcement officer to temporarily detain and search a member of the public based on the officer's suspicions.
   • 1990 Jan. 18, Constance L. Hays, "3 Cases Raise Questions on Boston Police Methods," New York Times (retrieved 20 August 2013):

     Adding to the department's problems is a long-running controversy over a stop-and-search policy that includes random searches of young black men.

   • 1997 Nov. 13, Rob Modic, "Motorist Must Know "Free to Go"," Dayton Daily News (USA) (retrieved 20 August 2013):

     The high court renewed its decision to throw out evidence in a 1992 Montgomery County traffic stop-and-search case that uncovered a small amount of marijuana and a methamphetamine pill.

   • 2008, Simon Assaf, "London mayor elections: Ken and Boris launch a war on young people," Socialist Worker (UK) (retrieved 20 August 2013):

     Both parties support ‘stop and search’ – also known as ‘sus’ laws. Under these laws, the police can stop anyone under ‘reasonable’ suspicion that they could commit a crime.

   • 2013 August 12, "US Court says NYPD ‘Stop-and-Search’ Violates Rights ," Voice of America (retrieved 20 August 2013):

     A U.S. judge has ruled the New York Police Department has violated the rights of tens of thousands of people by intentionally discriminating against racial minorities with its controversial "stop-and-search" policy.

Noun

stop-and-search ‎(plural stops-and-searches or stop-and-searches)

1. (often without hyphens) A police action of this type.
   • 1996 April 5, "The Baer Truth: It Was A Shameless Judicial Cave-in, New York Daily News (retrieved 20 August 2013):

     Read literally, he simply ruled that a cop made a bad collar, a stop-and-search without "reasonable suspicion."

Verb

stop-and-search ‎(third-person singular simple present stops-and-searches, present participle stopping-and-searching, simple past and past participle stopped-and-searched)

1. (usually without hyphens) To perform a police action of this type.

See also

• racial profiling
• sus law