Bloomberg Sues to Block Stop-and-Frisk Reforms

Suing to block possible lawsuits

Mayor Bloomberg filed a lawsuit against City Council to overturn a law passed last month that would make it easier for people to sue after being targeted by the NYPD's controversial stop-and-frisk program.

In papers filed Tuesday in Manhattan Supreme Court, the mayor's Law Department says the law, passed over the mayor's veto last month, "exceeds the bounds of permissible legislation by the Council."

The law allows plaintiffs to sue for profiling in state court for injunctive relief only—which means a winning plaintiff could ask the court to mandate that the NYPD change its tactics, but could not ask for money. The law also expands the definition of profiling beyond race to include categories such as age, gender, sexual orientation and housing status.