Mounting resentment of stop-and-search dominates post-riot summit
Police chief pledges to ‘treat people we stop with dignity’ as young people voice concern
Published: September 1, 2011
by RICHARD OSLEY
CAMDEN’S most senior police officer last night (Wednesday) rejected a call to cut down on stop-and-searches after being warned his staff need to improve relations with young people.
While officers have been roundly praised for their action on the night of the Camden riots, Borough Commander John Sutherland was warned day-to-day searches over several years had in some cases bred resentment.
The challenge came as tension around stop-and-searches dominated the discussion at the first “community summit”, one of three public events held by the council in response to last month’s disorder in Chalk Farm Road and other parts of the borough.
Chief Superintendent Sutherland was told stop-and-searches had led to grievances among some young men who felt they were unfairly targeted as troublemakers.
More than 100 people turned up to the Camden Centre in King’s Cross to discuss how Camden should respond to last month’s night of riots and looting.
The police officer said that he had not come across a lack of public support for searches but added: “My experience working in three successive London boroughs and particularly dealing with gangs and young people is that stop-and-search itself is not necessarily the issue. I think an awful lot of people recognise that stop-and-search can and should be an important tool in keeping Londoners safe and particularly keeping young people safe. I’ve had feedback from groups of young people in the aftermath of murders which actually asked the police to do more stop-and-searches as a means of ensuring safety.”
But Chief Supt Sutherland said he recognised that it was the manner that searches were conducted that sometimes caused alarm – adding that he knew not all police officers were “angels”. Young people at the meeting said they had been pushed by officers who then refused to show them the identification number on their epaulettes.
The Camden police boss added: “It's not the what, it’s the how – it's how we do stop-and-search and I think the real challenge, which I accept entirely, is how we treat the people we stop. My expectation from my officers is that we do it professionally and we treat the people we stop with dignity.”
Sitting on a panel with council leader Councillor Nash Ali, he told the room that he offered a “guarantee” that claims of mistreatment would all be investigated.
One young man asked him who was checking whether officers were conducting searches fairly. Chief Supt Sutherland said: “To some extent we are relying on officers to be self-monitoring and monitoring each other. You have a guarantee from me that if you come forward with a concern about the way you have been treated by any police officer sincerely and genuinely I want to hear about it. I’m not going to be naïve enough to suggest that we are all a bunch of angels in the police. I’m not naïve enough to suggest we always get it right. What I am going to be unequivocal about is my commitment to getting it right.”
Only nine young people were among the crowd with youth workers telling the meeting that some teenagers were worried about being “demonised” if they debated with adults. A separate youth summit is being organised by the Town Hall. Other discussions centred around getting young people into apprenticeships and inspiring voluntary work. One shop owner said it could be up to businesses to sponsor young workers if the government would not.
The second summit is to be held tonight (Thursday) at the Salvation Army hall in Chalk Farm at 7pm All are welcome. The final session is at Kingsgate Community Centre in Kilburn on Tuesday from 6.30pm.
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