Black people are five times more likely to be stopped and searched in Lancashire

In March the Ministry of Justice released statistics which showed that black people living in Lancashire are five times more likely to be stopped by officers than white people.

In Lancashire 11 black residents per 1,000 were stopped and searched by police between April 2018 and March 2019 compared to two white people, according to these statistics reported by LancsLive.

They involve those searched under the Terrorism Act 2000 as well as stop and search orders carried out under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act which allows police to stop and search individuals even if there is no evidence of a crime taking place.

57 year old Preston-born Glenda Andrew is an activist who has been helping Lancastrians of African and West Indian descent prove their UK status following the Windrush scandal.

Glenda told LancsLive that she feels “safe and accepted in Lancashire.”

However, she goes on to express her concerns surrounding people’s treatment of herself and her family members due to their race.

“I don’t trust certain aspects of life, I wouldn’t let my mum go to the hospital alone, I don’t know if people will treat her differently because of the colour of her skin.”

She goes on to explain that everyone’s story with the police is different:

“I myself have had a good relationship with the police, Clive Brunshaw (Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner) marched with us last year and has been to our conferences, I know if I needed to talk about anything with him I could.

“But again, other people will tell you a different story about their experiences.”

Due the current race riots and civil unrest in America, following the murder of George Floyd at the end of May, these statistics appear more startling than ever.

The impacts of George Floyd’s death can be seen around the Globe as protests took place locally in both Preston and Lancaster on the 3rd of June. Equally, chief constables in Lancashire and around the UK has been forced to make lengthy statements following the protests. These were posted to the Lancashire Constabulary website.

The statement reads: “We stand alongside all those across the globe who are appalled and horrified by the way George Floyd lost his life. Justice and accountability should follow.

“We are also appalled to see the violence and damage that has happened in so many US cities since then. Our hearts go out to all those affected by these terrible events and hope that peace and order will soon be restored.

“In the UK we have a long established tradition of policing by consent, working in communities to prevent crime and solve problems.

“Officers are trained to use force proportionately, lawfully and only when absolutely necessary. We strive to continuously learn and improve.

“We will tackle bias, racism or discrimination wherever we find it.”

Lancaster Constabulary did not comment on these statistics.

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