Blunkett backs stop and search calls

Blunkett backs stop and search calls

Monday, 22, Oct 2007 12:00

The former home secretary has backed calls for more stop and search crime prevention tactics to be used to deal with gun crime.

David Blunkett said police should not hold back on policing gun, gang and drug related crime by using a stop and search approach, saying targeting black on black crime in this way should not be a race issue.

His comments follow reports Keith Jarrett, the outgoing president of the National Black Police Association (NBPA), will be using a speech at the organisation's annual conference this week to call for police to stop and search more black people to prevent gun crime.

Mr Blunkett told BBC One's The Politics Show police "shouldn't back off just because they are having to deal with a situation where you've got black on black crime".

He added: "I think in situations where you know there is gun crime and gang crime and drug crime taking place, you have an obligation to work with the community and say, 'look, this is why we're doing it, this is why we need to take urgent action'."

However, Mr Blunkett's and Keith Jarrett's calls were not echoed by the Home Office, which said they had "strong reservations on the random use of stop and search powers".

Home Office minister Tony McNulty said: "Stop and search is an important tool in helping to disrupt and prevent crime. The use of search powers is designed to keep everybody safe within neighbourhoods and communities.

"The key to effective and fair use of stop and search is that it should be used in a targeted, intelligence-led way, with good grounds based on accurate, up to date information."

He added: "While we fully welcome any constructive debate on how we can maximise our fight against gun and knife crime we would need to see convincing evidence to support any departure from the existing criteria."

The Liberal Democrats went further in their criticisms of Mr Jarrett's proposals, saying increasing stop and search policing "risks repeating all the worst mistakes of the past".

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, Nick Clegg MP said: "Excessive stop-and-search tactics will only increase community tensions and distrust in the police."

Home Office figures show black people are six times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people.