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| Cameron says search laws must go | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| David Cameron says he would scrap "out of date" stop and search laws aimed at protecting black and Asian youths. | |
| The Tory leader said the laws - which say officers must have reasonable grounds to search someone - were brought in to combat police racism. | |
| But Mr Cameron said that was no longer a problem - and now the rules were "getting in the way of protecting" ethnic communities from violent crime. | |
| It comes as the government plans to extend routine stop and search powers. | It comes as the government plans to extend routine stop and search powers. |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is due to make an announcement in Parliament in the next few days on the government's strategy to combat gun and knife crime. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is due to make an announcement in Parliament in the next few days on the government's strategy to combat gun and knife crime. |
| Young black and British Asian kids...are being stabbed and shot and the rules are getting in the way of protecting them David CameronConservative leader | |
| The BBC understands she will promise to cut some of the red tape surrounding stop and search. | The BBC understands she will promise to cut some of the red tape surrounding stop and search. |
| Currently officers who stop someone have to say why and fill out a form, a copy of which is handed to the suspect. Police say this prevents them from searching large numbers of suspects. | Currently officers who stop someone have to say why and fill out a form, a copy of which is handed to the suspect. Police say this prevents them from searching large numbers of suspects. |
| Home Office Minister Tony McNulty told Sky News the government was considering scrapping the police "stop form" which officers claim can take up to seven minutes to fill out. | Home Office Minister Tony McNulty told Sky News the government was considering scrapping the police "stop form" which officers claim can take up to seven minutes to fill out. |
| Police 'racism' | Police 'racism' |
| Ms Smith will also extend the use of routine stop and search where, in some circumstances, officers can search people without giving reasonable grounds for suspicion. | Ms Smith will also extend the use of routine stop and search where, in some circumstances, officers can search people without giving reasonable grounds for suspicion. |
| Both the government and the Conservatives believe local police commanders should be given more control over stop and search powers. | Both the government and the Conservatives believe local police commanders should be given more control over stop and search powers. |
| Mr Cameron said rules saying officers must have "reasonable grounds" to suspect someone has committed a crime to search them - brought in to address concerns black and Asian suspects were being targeted by police - were "out of date". | |
| He told The Sun newspaper: "In the British police service there were problems with racism, there were problems with attitude. That needed to change. I think it has now been changed." | He told The Sun newspaper: "In the British police service there were problems with racism, there were problems with attitude. That needed to change. I think it has now been changed." |
| Protection | Protection |
| Mr Cameron said it was now possible for police to carry out stop and searches "without being accused of racism". | Mr Cameron said it was now possible for police to carry out stop and searches "without being accused of racism". |
| He said a Conservative government would carry out a review of the best way to increase the number of suspects being searched and any changes would be implemented "rapidly". | He said a Conservative government would carry out a review of the best way to increase the number of suspects being searched and any changes would be implemented "rapidly". |
| He said there was widespread support for more stop and search powers within ethnic minority communities. | He said there was widespread support for more stop and search powers within ethnic minority communities. |
| "Stop and search rules were put in place to protect young black and Asian British kids. | "Stop and search rules were put in place to protect young black and Asian British kids. |
| "Now it's the young black and British Asian kids that are being stabbed and shot and the rules are getting in the way of protecting them." | "Now it's the young black and British Asian kids that are being stabbed and shot and the rules are getting in the way of protecting them." |
| Crime 'hotspots' | Crime 'hotspots' |
| He said a Conservative government would need to work out whether the rules on "reasonable suspicion" should be scrapped altogether or replaced with the "say-so of an inspector or sergeant or lower". | He said a Conservative government would need to work out whether the rules on "reasonable suspicion" should be scrapped altogether or replaced with the "say-so of an inspector or sergeant or lower". |
| "But those current laws, be in no doubt, have to go." | "But those current laws, be in no doubt, have to go." |
| He added: "This is not about race. It's about stopping crime and reducing the number of victims of crime. | He added: "This is not about race. It's about stopping crime and reducing the number of victims of crime. |
| "The statistics are undeniable and it's clear by carrying out more stop and searches it is the black and Asian communities who will benefit most." | "The statistics are undeniable and it's clear by carrying out more stop and searches it is the black and Asian communities who will benefit most." |
| The government has been trialling routine stop and search powers for police in so-called gun and knife "hotspots" but the powers could shortly be extended to other parts of the country. | The government has been trialling routine stop and search powers for police in so-called gun and knife "hotspots" but the powers could shortly be extended to other parts of the country. |