Blears pledges action on stop and search
The Home Office Minister has said the Government is working to ensure that the stop and search system is fair.
Her comments come after the latest stop and search figures show a 36 per cent rise in the number of Asian people targeted.
Since the start of the War on Terror, the number of Asian people stopped and searched has risen by 300 per cent, though this should be seen in the context of a massive rise in the overall number of people stopped.
Black people are six times more likely to be searched by police than white people and there are almost twice as many searches of Asian people than white people.
Muslim groups have expressed frustration with the figures and warned that the disproportionate number of searches is counterproductive to the police’s call for co-operation and information in the War on Terror.
Hazel Blears acknowledged the grievances, noting: “Stop and search remains a contentious issue in black and Asian communities.”
She said that the Government has taken action to address concerns, forming Stop and Search Action Teams to “ensure that stop and search as a power is used as effectively as possible in the prevention and detection of crime.”
These are currently active in five pilot areas including London, Nottingham and Leicestershire.
Continuing, Ms Blears said: “Earlier this year we published guidance on the recording of stops, which will become a national requirement for all forces by next April. We are also publishing interim guidance to police forces today to ensure best use of stop and search powers.
Figures published today also show that minority groups are unrepresented in the police service and that there is a disproportionate number of ethnic minority deaths in custody.
Ms Blears said the Government is making progress, saying: “We have introduced national recruitment, assessment and selection processes that are fair and transparent and designed to weed out applicants with racist attitudes.
“In addition, the Home Secretary has asked for a fundamental review of the police disciplinary arrangements to ensure that they provide a proportionate, just and effective process for dealing with conduct matters and complaints in a way that will inspire confidence among the police and public.”
The Home Office also notes that racist incidents have fallen by 11 per cent in the last year and 12 per cent more racist incidents resulted in a prosecution.
Liberal Democrat spokesman, Mark Oaten, said that the stop and search figures are “disappointing and will add to the concern of ethnic groups that they are being unfairly targeted.
“Stop and search has a role if it is intelligence led but not if it is random and with prejudice.”
