Black church leaders say police 'stop & search' not the answer to violent crime
Youth work, not stop and search, is the community's preferred way of preventing gun and knife crime, according to the leader of the African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance (ACEA).
Posted: Friday, October 26, 2007, 12:38 (BST)
Rev Kirby said: "The message from the community is clear: youth work is the best way forward.
"It has not been proven that increased stop and search powers will reduce crime. In fact, research indicates the opposite - that there's more likely to be a rise in community tension, particularly if the focus is disproportionately and inappropriately placed on stopping and searching young black or Asian males."
She said ACEA therefore supports the development and direction of Hope4London, which is championing the Christian response to crime in the capital in practical and effective ways, such as working alongside police in community events and carrying out youth and community work such as the Street Pastors initiative.
Bishop Wayne Malcolm, founder of Christian Life City church, a large black-majority church in Hackney, said he does not discount the need for stop and search, but thinks the same rules should apply to everyone, regardless of race.
"A lot of young people that I speak to still complain of being harassed, bullied and verbally abused by the police on account of their colour and clothes," he said.
"As one young person put it to me, 'when the police arrive on the scene, their usual routine is to find a white person in the crowd so they can ask them what happened'."
He added that this suggests many young blacks still see the police as thugs and bullies, with this stereotype partly fuelled by their experiences with the police.
"We must find a way to change the image that many young blacks have of the police and that many police officers have of young blacks by replacing the old image with new experiences," he concluded.
Have your say on this article
The comments below are readers' personal opinions and are in no way intended to reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today.
Added: Friday, October 26, 2007, 18:33 (BST)
I agree with Simon's comments here. Give the stop and search a chance and see if it does do anything.
Sally Cooke, London
Added: Friday, October 26, 2007, 17:41 (BST)
I agree with the Church Leader that "stop and search" may not be the only answer to the violent gun and knife culture within black communities in the UK. But I still think that it is a worth while option that should be given a trial. I am optimistic that the use of stop and search powers by the Police will bring a positive reduction in young people carrying and using these weapons. The Police just need to be cautious and sensitive and use these powers in an organised and informed manner, and based on intelligence.
At the end of the day , I believe every right thinking person wants to see an end to gun and knife violence among young people. No effort or suggestion made should be dismissed as unworkable until it is at least given a trial.
There are many reasons for knife and gun culture within black communities, most of them caused by the society itself.
When a child is born into abject poverty and depravity as is depicted by many council estates within black communities, when a growing child witnesses violence, drug use and gangsterism as he grows up, when a child is born into a disfunctional family and witnesses domestic violence regularly, when the only "male role model" a child can look up to is the gangster rapper, should we in the least be surprised that such a person sees violence and crime as a "normal" thing and therefore soon begins to express himself through the use of violence? When racism is expressed in any way shape or form, and a young black male realises that the colour of his skin DOES matter in whether he is allowed in class or excluded, or whether he gets that job or not,then we should not be surprised that he "learns" to be violent against a society he feels has alienated him and rebels against Law and Order.
My Book soon to be released and titled, "The Curse of Being Black in Britain" is an account of my personal experience of living in the UK as an ethnic minority. It also discusses many of the challenges that young black people face in the 21st century UK. There is also a detailed account of a Senio Police Officer's insight into the problems facing Young Black Male in the UK based on his own experience of working with Operation Trident which deals with Gun crime within black communities over the last three years. Until many of these issues which I have highlighted already are dealt with, the end to gun and knife violence within black communities will remain a very long way away!
Simon Owoade, West London, UK.
