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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Met's knife crime policy attacked | Met's knife crime policy attacked |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Metropolitan Police has been criticised for its use of stop and search in tackling knife crime. | The Metropolitan Police has been criticised for its use of stop and search in tackling knife crime. |
| Laura Richards, former head of the Met's homicide prevention unit, told the BBC stop and search could make gangs stronger and the problem worse. | Laura Richards, former head of the Met's homicide prevention unit, told the BBC stop and search could make gangs stronger and the problem worse. |
| Ms Richards said the Met had ignored recommendations from numerous reports on how to tackle knife crime - such as targeting known individuals. | Ms Richards said the Met had ignored recommendations from numerous reports on how to tackle knife crime - such as targeting known individuals. |
| The Met defended its tactics, saying it had community support. | The Met defended its tactics, saying it had community support. |
| Last month the Met set up a special taskforce in London using stop and search, sending teams of officers into stabbing hotspots. | Last month the Met set up a special taskforce in London using stop and search, sending teams of officers into stabbing hotspots. |
| Killer profiles | Killer profiles |
| Ms Richards, a criminal behavioural psychologist, told BBC Radio 4's The Investigation using stop and search was a sticking plaster, and that it could push marginalised young men further into gang membership. | Ms Richards, a criminal behavioural psychologist, told BBC Radio 4's The Investigation using stop and search was a sticking plaster, and that it could push marginalised young men further into gang membership. |
| "I think a lot more could be being done as opposed to just a hard edged enforcement around stop and search," she said. | "I think a lot more could be being done as opposed to just a hard edged enforcement around stop and search," she said. |
| "We're seeing a number of guys committing the murders are already marginalised, already excluded and we are trying those kind of tactics on those individuals. I fear we just make the problem worse." | |
| Ms Richards ran the homicide prevention unit for four years. The unit, which was formed in 2003, split knife murders into two categories - domestic and street attacks. | Ms Richards ran the homicide prevention unit for four years. The unit, which was formed in 2003, split knife murders into two categories - domestic and street attacks. |
| Find Out More Listen to The Investigation, Radio 4 Thursday 28 August 2008 at 2000 BST.Or catch up at Radio 4's Listen Again site | Find Out More Listen to The Investigation, Radio 4 Thursday 28 August 2008 at 2000 BST.Or catch up at Radio 4's Listen Again site |
| Domestic knife killers tended to be older and white, while those who committed street attacks were aged under 20 and disproportionately black. | Domestic knife killers tended to be older and white, while those who committed street attacks were aged under 20 and disproportionately black. |
| Domestic killings have fallen dramatically in recent years, but street murders have been rising. | Domestic killings have fallen dramatically in recent years, but street murders have been rising. |
| A four-year study by Ms Richards' unit had found almost 90% of knife killers had previously been known to police. | A four-year study by Ms Richards' unit had found almost 90% of knife killers had previously been known to police. |
| "Not only did we flag up problems, we flagged up solutions," she said. | "Not only did we flag up problems, we flagged up solutions," she said. |
| The unit proposed a multi-agency approach targeted at offenders who ran the risk of escalating violent behaviour. | The unit proposed a multi-agency approach targeted at offenders who ran the risk of escalating violent behaviour. |
| "You don't just wake up one morning and kill somebody," Ms Richards said. | "You don't just wake up one morning and kill somebody," Ms Richards said. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Stop and search will only work if the police get out of their cars and walk the streets Carl Vincent, Buckingham Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Stop and search will only work if the police get out of their cars and walk the streets Carl Vincent, Buckingham Send us your comments |
| She added: "If you seek advice from a number of individuals who make recommendations and you do not put those in place, that is a pretty challenging place to be. | She added: "If you seek advice from a number of individuals who make recommendations and you do not put those in place, that is a pretty challenging place to be. |
| "We gave some pretty good recommendations... I think some of these need to find their way back to those who are responsible for taking decisions." | "We gave some pretty good recommendations... I think some of these need to find their way back to those who are responsible for taking decisions." |
| Tactics defended | Tactics defended |
| However, the government has dismissed claims stop and search has made knife crime worse. Home Office minister Tony McNulty told the BBC there was much more to the policy. | |
| "[We are] working with schools, education, trying to tackle that sort of cultural 'it's cool to carry a knife' type dimension," he said. | |
| The policy has been more targeted and intelligence-led since June. About 1500 arrests have been made using Section 60 and other powers, he said. | |
| Stop and search is part of a deterrence and awareness campaign, he added. | |
| Rose Fitzpatrick, deputy assistant commissioner at the Met, said stop and search was the right tactic. | |
| "Stop and search is part of what we're doing but we're also sending a very visible message to young people that our aim is to keep them safe," she said. | "Stop and search is part of what we're doing but we're also sending a very visible message to young people that our aim is to keep them safe," she said. |
| "We've had a huge amount of feedback from young people that it makes them safer to see us out on the streets." | "We've had a huge amount of feedback from young people that it makes them safer to see us out on the streets." |
| Its stop and search tactics had the support of the community, including ethnic minority communities, she added. | Its stop and search tactics had the support of the community, including ethnic minority communities, she added. |
| The Metropolitan Police said stop and search was only one part of a wider strategy and it had taken 1,700 knives off the streets since May this year. The Met also said it had a 90% conviction rate for murders from stabbings. |