SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS / AP) — San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee is clarifying his comments about a controversial stop-and-frisk policy used to reduce violent crime in other major cities, including New York and Philadelphia.

Lee said in a statement Tuesday that he is not considering a policy that will violate anyone’s constitutional rights and result in racial profiling, but he is “willing to move forward with bold ideas that get to results.”

Lee told a local newspaper editorial board last month that he wants to consider the stop-and-risk policy to reduce gun violence after a recent spike in homicides led to the city’s deadliest month in nearly four years.

KCBS’ Anna Duckworth Reports:

Lee’s comments on Tuesday came shortly after opponents of a stop and frisk initiative held a noontime rally outside City Hall and delivered a petition of more than 2,000 signatures opposed to the idea.

Nearly 100 people gathered and several city supervisors joined the crowd, including Supervisor Malia Cohen from District 10 which includes Bayview Hunters Point, Potrero Hill and Visitacion Valley.

Cohen noted that of more than 685,000 people stopped and frisked last year under New York City’s stop-and-frisk policy, 88 percent resulted in no violation or arrest.

“What is more disturbing is that the majority of these stops were African-American males, Latino males. Particularly young males between the ages of 14 and 24 years of age,” Cohen said.

Supervisor John Avalos joined Cohen in saying that stop-and-frisk is not the answer.

“This pushback from the community is begging a difference that the mayor who has come out of a civil rights background can still live up to that by withdrawing this stop-and-frisk idea here in San Francisco,” Avalos said.

The rally was organized by the Black Young Democrats of San Francisco.

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