Equality watchdog threatens legal action against stop-and-search police
Monday, 15 March 2010 5:01 PM
By politics.co.uk staff
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is threatening legal action against police forces which disproportionately target blacks and Asians in stop-and-search procedures, even as it is put on the back foot by a fiercely critical parliamentary report.
The report, published today by the joint committee on human rights, voiced serious concerns about Trevor Phillip's leadership and criticised the decision to force through his reappointment.
Phillips leadership savaged by MPs
Mr Phillips is currently under investigation for contempt after he allegedly contacted at least three members of the committee about its draft report into his leadership.
Trevor Phillips faces contempt inquiry
The EHRC said today that research showed black people were six times as likely to be stopped and searched as white people, while Asians were twice as likely.
The battle against stop-and-search 'discrimination'
It said it is set to write to police forces to warn them of potential breaches of the Race Relations Act unless there is some improvement in the way the powers operate.
The developments come just a week after the Commons public accounts committee branded the commission ineffective, flawed and expensive.
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