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Call to increase stop and search Call to increase stop and search
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More young people should be stopped and searched to help tackle knife and gun crime, a leading black police representative says.More young people should be stopped and searched to help tackle knife and gun crime, a leading black police representative says.
Keith Jarrett, the outgoing president of the National Black Police Association (NBPA), said he would be pressing police for such an approach.Keith Jarrett, the outgoing president of the National Black Police Association (NBPA), said he would be pressing police for such an approach.
He said: "The black community is telling me we have to look at this."He said: "The black community is telling me we have to look at this."
Some senior black police officers have criticised the suggestion fearing it could lead to racial profiling.Some senior black police officers have criticised the suggestion fearing it could lead to racial profiling.
HAVE YOUR SAY Stop and search is an appropriate preventative measure if employed by an unbiased police force Macivan, London Send us your comments
Black people are six times more likely to be stopped than white people, according to Home Office figures.Black people are six times more likely to be stopped than white people, according to Home Office figures.
This disparity has led to continued charges of police racism and critics say that increased use of stop and search tactics would inevitably affect the black community disproportionately.This disparity has led to continued charges of police racism and critics say that increased use of stop and search tactics would inevitably affect the black community disproportionately.
'Limited tool' 'Victims and perpetrators'
Mr Jarrett will use a speech at the NBPA's annual conference this week to ask Police Minister Tony McNulty and Metropolitan Police chief Sir Ian Blair to consider searching more young people.
The suggestion contradicts the approach taken by the NBPA to date which has questioned the high proportion of black people stopped and searched by police.
Mr Jarrett told BBC News 24: "It's not that we should stop and search more black youths. It's not just black people that carry weapons, white people carry weapons as well.
"I am saying the police service should stop young people because young people are the victims of, and the perpetrators of, a lot of these crimes."
Mr Jarrett said he was reflecting the feelings of the black community who believed stop and search was an effective way of disrupting gangs and reducing violence.
Where the community cooperate and want this, then there should be bravery by the police in terms of being able to do it David BlunkettFormer Home Secretary
But he acknowledged that it might increase tension in some communities because it was "not as sharp a tool" as police would like.
"It's not going to go down very well with my audience, many of whom are going to be black," he said.
The NBPA's legal adviser, Ch Supt Ali Dizaei, told the BBC the comments were Mr Jarrett's personal views.The NBPA's legal adviser, Ch Supt Ali Dizaei, told the BBC the comments were Mr Jarrett's personal views.
He said stop and search was "a very, very small part" of the fight against knife and gun crime and increasing its use would be "wrong".He said stop and search was "a very, very small part" of the fight against knife and gun crime and increasing its use would be "wrong".
"I think that will increase tension in the black community," Mr Dizaei said. "I think that [it] will increase tension in the black community," Mr Dizaei said.
We have talked about disproportionate use of stop-and-search in the past, but what I am proposing is quite the reverse Keith Jarrett, National Black Police Association class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=3709&edition=1">Send us your comments But former Home Secretary David Blunkett told the BBC: "I think Keith Jarrett, from the experience he's had, is right that where the community cooperate and want this, then there should be bravery by the police in terms of being able to do it.
Mr Jarrett will use a speech this week to ask Police Minister Tony McNulty and Metropolitan Police chief Sir Ian Blair to consider searching more young people. "In other words, they shouldn't back off just because they're having to deal with a situation where you've got black-on-black crime."
Mr Jarrett's stance, which is expected to be outlined in a speech at the NBPA's annual conference in Bristol on Wednesday, contradicts the approach taken by the body to date.
It has previously questioned the high proportion of black people stopped and searched by police.
Race riotsRace riots
The Macpherson Report, published in February 1999 into the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence in London, strongly criticised the use of stop and search by police officers.The Macpherson Report, published in February 1999 into the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence in London, strongly criticised the use of stop and search by police officers.
It risks alienating black communities further Milena BuyumNational Assembly Against Racism
Its use is considered to have been a major factor in precipitating the inner-city race riots of the 1980s.Its use is considered to have been a major factor in precipitating the inner-city race riots of the 1980s.
However, Mr Jarrett hopes the escalation of such tactics by police would reduce the number of nationwide shootings.
The black community is telling me that we have to have a look at this Keith Jarrett
A further two teenagers have been killed in the last week.
Mr Jarrett told The Observer: "From the return that I am getting from a lot of black people, they want to stop these killings, these knife crimes, and if it means their sons and daughters are going to be inconvenienced by being stopped by the police, so be it."Mr Jarrett told The Observer: "From the return that I am getting from a lot of black people, they want to stop these killings, these knife crimes, and if it means their sons and daughters are going to be inconvenienced by being stopped by the police, so be it."
He said he was "hoping we go down that road" and he would be "pressing" for such an approach.
"It's not going to go down very well with my audience, many of whom are going to be black," he admitted.
"We have talked about disproportionate use of stop-and-search in the past, but what I am proposing is quite the reverse.
"The black community is telling me that we have to have a look at this."
He said he would not oppose a random use of stop-and-search in situations where officers had "reasonable suspicion" that an offence had been committed.He said he would not oppose a random use of stop-and-search in situations where officers had "reasonable suspicion" that an offence had been committed.
But Milena Buyum, coordinator of the National Assembly Against Racism, said the tactic disproportionately affected the black community.
"It risks alienating black communities further and is not a very effective way of catching people who are likely to commit offences."