Suffolk Police stop and search practices show significant racial disparities, according to new Home Office figures.
The big picture: Black people in the county were almost six times more likely to be subject to these checks than white people last year.
Why it matters: For many, stop and search is a controversial policing tactic that disproportionately affects minority communities, raising concerns about fairness and effectiveness in local policing and racial equality in the community.
By the numbers:
181 total stop and searches conducted on black people in Suffolk last year
17.8 stop and searches per 1,000 black people in Suffolk
3.2 stop and searches per 1,000 white people in Suffolk
20.3% of all stop and searches in Suffolk involved children
Zooming out: This trend isn't unique to Suffolk. Across England and Wales, black people were five times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people, though this represents a slight decrease from previous years.
What they're saying: Ruth Ehrlich, head of policy and campaigns at Liberty: "Stop and search is traumatic and distressing – and something that black people are far more likely to experience. Just because this disproportionality is not new does not mean we should fail to be appalled by it."
The other side: The Home Office defends stop and search as a crime-fighting tool but acknowledges the need for fairer implementation, saying, "Stop and search is an important tool in tackling crime, but it's crucial for public confidence in the police that it is used in an appropriate and fair way."
What's next: Human rights organisations are calling for urgent action to reduce the use of stop and search and for greater investment in addressing underlying social issues.
