Theresa May: Stop and Search must be fair

The Home Secretary Theresa May reiterated her concern over the present practice of ‘Stop and Search’. Speaking at her Party’s national conference, May warned that the present practice, which disproportionately affects Black people 7-1 causes not only distrust but, she suggested, is not that effective.

“We cannot ignore public concern about whether it’s used fairly. There are more than a million stop-and-searches recorded every year, but only about nine per cent result in an arrest. If you’re black or from an ethnic minority, you’re up to seven times more likely to be stopped and searched than if you’re white. And according to the Inspectorate of Constabulary, more than a quarter of stop and searches might be carried out illegally.

I’m concerned about this for two reasons. When stop and search is misused, it wastes police time. And when it’s used unfairly, it does enormous damage to public trust in the police.

We’ve just completed a public consultation into stop and search, and I will announce changes in policy by the end of this year. But today, I want the message to go out from this hall that nobody should ever be stopped just on the basis of the colour of their skin.”

Some may say this is blatant political electioneering, trying to win the Black Vote. Others with say it's May’s response in reigning a police force that is perceived to be getting out of control, particularly after the Andrew Mitchell was forced to resign from the Cabinet in ‘Plebgate’, and Prince Andrew was stopped in the grounds of his parents' in Buckingham Palace.

Whatever the reason is we must ensure that May’s changes are the strongest they can be. The disjoint between Black youths and the police has hardly been greater. A generation of Black youths have become openly hostile to a police force they often regard as the enemy because of the interaction - which the Home Secretary concedes at times is undertaken unlawfully. That includes not informing individuals of their rights, not producing documentation, and perhaps worse racial profiling.

I hope the Home Secretary will tell our police force that the best way to catch criminals is through intelligence, and evidence. This will result in the most cost-effective and best use of police time. And equally important, we’ll also avoid alienating another generation of Black youths.

Simon Woolley