Commenting on Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s call for police leaders to "ramp up" the use of stop and search, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member and Police & Crime Spokesperson Caroline Pidgeon AM said:
“The Independent Office for Police Conduct has already called for an end to the overuse of stop and search. The disproportionate use of stop and search on minority ethnic communities has contributed massively to a rise in distrust in the police in London.
“There has been no evidence produced that a massive roll out of stop and search reduces knife crime, yet the Conservative Government continuously focuses on this one tool.
“Knife crime is a scourge across London that needs to be eradicated, but we need to be focusing on what we know works rather than what grabs headlines.
“This means driving resources into education and support for young people through youth centres and other support programmes such as youth workers in A&E departments.”