Black people more than six times as likely to be stopped and searched in Nottinghamshire

The figures come as human rights organisation Liberty calls on the Government to tackle the “ appalling injustice” of increased stop and search rates for people of colour.

Stop and search is a controversial practice, in which police temporarily stop individuals they suspect may be carrying weapons, drugs or other contraband.

While there are rules that govern how searches are carried out, several organisations have said they want the practice banned or heavily rolled back, in part because it is used far more often on people of colour, particularly black and black British communities.

The latest Home Office figures shows that of 4,466 searches carried out by Nottinghamshire Police in the year to March, 533 were of black people – equivalent to 19.5 for every 1,000 black people in the area, according to the latest population data.

By comparison, there were 3,081 searches of white people, or 3.2 for every 1,000 people.

This means black people were 6.1 times as likely to be stopped and searched.

Emmanuelle Andrews, Liberty policy and campaigns manager, said: “Stop and search is a traumatic and distressing experience, leaving a lasting impact on both individuals and communities.

"Not only this, but stop and search is an ineffective policing tool – with these figures showing that the vast majority of stops result in no further action.”

Black people were more likely to be arrested after a stop and search in Nottinghamshire, with 14.6 per cent of searches leading to an arrest, compared with 12.3 per cent for white people.

The disparity in stop and searches has increased in Nottinghamshire since last year, with black people 5.9 times as likely to be stopped as white people in 2020-21.

Across England and Wales, this disparity has improved slightly, with black people now 6.2 times as likely to be stopped as white people, down from seven last year.

Liberty said it was particularly concerned by the Government’s proposed Public Order Bill, which is set to expand police stop and search powers.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council called the practice a “valuable policing tool”, but said there was more work to do to address concerns around ethnic disparities.

Amanda Pearson, NPCC lead for stop and search, said: “We know the use of stop and search can have a significant impact on individuals and communities, and particularly on young people.

“We encourage anyone who feels unhappy at how a search was conducted to contact their local force.”

Nationally, the number of stop and searches declined 26 per cent last year, from 714,914 in the year to March 2021 to 530,365 this year, with the Home Office saying a high level of “proactive policing” during the coronavirus pandemic was the lead reason for the decline.

The overall number of searches also fell 12 per cent in Nottinghamshire, down from 5,089 last year.

The Home Office said it is committed to improving safeguards on stop and search, such as creating channels for it to be scrutinised by local communities, and increasing the use of body worn cameras.

Chief Superintendent Mathew Healey, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “The use of stop and search remains a hugely important police power for protecting the public, tackling crime and keeping our streets safe.

"I would like to assure the public that stop and search is not used lightly. Officers will only exercise their legal right to stop members of the public where they feel it is absolutely necessary and the force’s use of stop and search is independently scrutinised to ensure we are using these powers proportionately.

“We do not underestimate the impact stop and search has on communities and individuals. We know that to maintain public confidence, the powers must be used in a fair and objective manner.

“Disproportionality is a factor in Nottinghamshire and the reasons for this are various and complex. There is more we need to do and we are making that work a priority.

“We will continue to work with our communities and stakeholders to improve the quality of interactions and ensure that stop and search continues to protect the public.”