Study into stop and search (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Study into stop and search

3:00pm Saturday 20th March 2010 in

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HAMPSHIRE police are the worst in England outside London for targeting black people with their stop and search powers.

The information comes in a report launched this week by the Equality and Human Rights Commission highlighting those forces that are disproportionately using their stop and search powers.

According to the report Hampshire has the highest rate for black people in the country outside of London along with forces like Nottinghamshire, West Midlands and Dorset.

In Hampshire the ratio increased dramatically in 2007/08, but the county is much further down the league with regard to Asian stop and search figures.

The review concludes that a number of forces are using the tactics in a way that is possibly discriminatory.

It has found that few police forces have made improvements and most continue to use their stop and search powers disproportionately against black and Asian people. In fact, some police forces have actually increased their use of stop and search against ethnic minorities.

The commission is to write to the police forces to raise its concerns.

The results of the Stop and Think Report were supported by an independent study produced for the commission.