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 | | Monday, 4 March, 2002, 10:57 GMT Black editor backs stop and search  Black people were more likely to be searched A dramatic rise in gun crime can only be contained by the police increasing their use of stop and search, the editor of Britain's leading black newspaper has claimed. Mike Best, editor of The Voice, said the concerns felt by many black people about the practice were outweighed by figures showing that shootings are at an all time high in London and other British cities. He told the BBC: "I think most people would prefer not to be stopped and searched, but I think the increasing crime is warranting that and the majority of people who have nothing to hide won't mind very much." Stop and search was scaled back when the Macpherson Report into the murder of teenager Stephen Lawrence found that police were institutionally racist. 'Frustration' Mr Best said he supported stop and search despite the finding it was five time more likely to be used against black people than white people.
"Stop and search really, we thought, mainly referred to stopping of black people. It has to be across the board, whether they are Asians, white, whatever," Mr Best added. "It must not be seen as just black people - this whole myth that black people commit the major crimes - that's not true." Mr Best said the parents of many of those killed held the view that if their sons had been stopped and searched they would still be alive, even if they were in prison. 'Frustration' Mr Best's comments may cause concern among some in the black community and were not supported by Lee Jasper, London Mayor Ken Livingstone's adviser on police matters.
Metropolitan Police Commander Bob Quick also questioned the value of increasing the number of stop and searches carried out by officers. He said: "I don't think it would make a difference to bring in indiscriminate stop and search. "In the Met' and the service more generally we are in favour of targeted stop and search which is intelligence based - which is very much aimed at stopping the right people that we suspect carry weapons or firearms." 'Lawless' Last week Hackney MP Diane Abbott told the House of Commons prison sentences must be increased for people convicted of gun crime. Ms Abbott said London is suffering from a "lawless gun culture" and people living in the city are becoming increasingly frightened they will become a victim. Last year in London alone there were 21 "black on black" gun murders, 67 attempted murders and a further 80 shootings resulting in minor injury or criminal damage. The number of armed robberies rose to 776 from 500 the previous year and reports suggest guns are now available in the capital for as little as �200. | |
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