MPA Stop and Search Scrutiny - public meeting at The Fridge, Brixton

95/03
21 November 2003

Members of the public are invited to The Fridge, Brixton, to air their views and ask questions about stop and search powers for the next meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority Stop and Search Scrutiny Panel.

The meeting will be held at The Fridge, Brixton, on Tuesday 25 November 2003 starting at 5.30pm.

Cecile Wright, Chair of the Stop and Search Scrutiny Panel, said:

“This public meeting is to see how the community can work with the Metropolitan Police Service in using stop and search powers in a way that is acceptable.

“Stop and search is a powerful tool that the MPS uses in their fight against criminals. But it raises many questions, not least about disproportionality amongst minority ethnic communities. As such it is right that the MPA consult on how the public are treated when they are stopped.“

Karen Chouhan of the 1990 Trust, who has previously given evidence to the scrutiny, will be speaking while Simone Bowman of the Minority Ethnic Concerns Committee of Southwark and John Azah of the Kingston Race Equalities Council will be providing a community perspective. Also attending the public meeting will be Leroy Logan, Chair of the Metropolitan Black Police Association, and Lee Jasper, the London Mayor’s advisor on race issues.

Background

In January 2003, the MPA's Co-ordination and Policing Committee agreed to conduct a scrutiny into the MPS's performance and practice in using stop and search across the capital.

The scrutiny will be overseen by the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board, the MPA committee responsible for matters relating to equal opportunity and diversity issues, and will concentrate on five key aspects of stop and search that previous studies have not explored. These are:

• Disproportionality and profiling;
• Use of stop and search data and policing intelligence;
• Cost effectiveness of stop and search;
• Public engagement and information; and
• Determine whether there exists different levels of criminality within different sectors of the population.

Cecile Wright, Chair of the Panel, said:

"Historically, stop and search has resulted in distrust and levels of disengagement by those Londoners who are repeatedly stopped and searched. Although figures suggest a decrease in criminal activities the MPS' figurers still show black Londoners are four times more likely to be stopped than white Londoners.

"This is of concern to the MPA as it impacts on the ability of the MPS to recruit black and ethnic minority people into the police service.

"Detailed investigation of the five areas to be addressed by the Scrutiny Panel will contribute significantly to addressing longstanding and unresolved issues surrounding police practice and use of stop and search."

Full details of the scrutiny and terms of reference can be found on the MPA website.

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