I will end discrimination in stop and search
Speaking at the Operation Black Vote hustings this evening in Kilburn, London Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick will say:
I was a police officer for over 30 years, from a constable on the beat to one of the highest ranking officers at Scotland Yard. I was one of the few police officers who welcomed the Macpherson report into the tragic death of Stephen Lawrence. I remember thinking ‘thank God someone else thinks the police are racist’.
In the 48 hours after the publication of the report I had to tell all 300 of my officers what it said. I asked them to imagine a car driving past them at 3am with four white guys in it and another car with four black guys in it – which one are you going to stop?
In every group of officers someone said the car with black guys. In 2004 I wrote a report called ‘It’s time to face the realities of stop and search’ where I called for an end to discrimination in stop and search.
I set out how stop and search could be accurately targeted on criminals, not on people because of the way they look. My bosses buried the report.
On May 3rd you get the chance to vote for a Mayor of London, but that Mayor will also be the Police and Crime Commissioner who sets the priorities and the budget for the police and holds the police to account. Give me the chance to implement the report and end discrimination in stop and search.