MPA consult with members of the Irish community

28/01
10 May 2001

Members of the Irish community in London have been consulted for the first time about the use of police powers of stop and search. Jenny Jones, Member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, welcomed members of the Irish community to a consultation seminar on Friday 5 May.

The purpose of the seminar was to consult with the Irish community about Recommendation 61 of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report Report - whether all stops should be recorded by police. Currently only stops and searches are recorded.

Jenny Jones said:

“It is our priority to build confidence and trust in police amongst all London’s communities and the MPA welcomes this opportunity to consult with the Irish community.

“Whilst the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry report acknowledged the importance of stop and search to fight crime, it is vital that all Londoners are consulted about their experiences of this police tactic. In order to overcome the hostility to stop and search from ethnic minority communities, these powers must be used fairly and transparently.

“Following the piloting of Recommendation 61, research found that the most important issue for members of the public when they are stopped is that they are treated fairly, with respect and were given a reason for their stop.”

All the speakers stressed the importance of such consultation and several issues were keenly debated during the seminar. These included the definition of a stop, whether the implementation of Recommendation 61 would create additional bureaucracy for the police and the manner in which stops, and stops and searches, should be carried out by officers. Some delegates at the workshop strongly supported the full implementation of Recommendation 61.

The main speakers were Jock Young, Criminologist from Middlesex University, who spoke about his research, Detective Inspector Cheryl Burden from the Met, who gave the police perspective, and Fiona Murphy, solicitor from Bhatt Murphy Solicitors.

Jock Young’s research, carried out over seven years shows that 1 in 7 of the total Irish population in London has been stopped and when this is broken down into the ‘young male’ group the figure is one in two, which is higher than for any other ethnic minority group. He argued that stops by police should be ‘information led’. Cheryl Burden gave the police perspective on Recommendation 61, following pilots in Hounslow and Greenwich, which found the process of recording each stop increased bureaucracy and form filling. However, she stressed that the Met will shortly be publishing guidance to all officers and their supervisors about how this police tactic should be carried out. Fiona Murphy, solicitor, argued that if the Met could enjoy the confidence of all the communities it polices, there would be great benefit to the police from the positive changes that would follow. Getting stop and search right is central to that process.

The MPA are currently holding a two month consultation programme with communities across London, which is integral to a national campaign launched by the Association of Police Authorities on Monday 12 March, informing people about their rights when stopped and searched by police. The Home Office has also asked all police authorities throughout England to consult with their communities about Recommendation 61 of the Report of the Inquiry into Matters Arising from the Death of Stephen Lawrence. This proposes that anyone who is stopped by police should be given a record of that stop. Currently only stops and searches are recorded.

Notes to editors

The Metropolitan Police Authority took over responsibility for the Metropolitan Police Service from the Home Secretary on 3 July 2000.

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