Stop and search, stop and search: sometimes I think this is the only subject around for all the debate it generates. The Conservatives have come to the rescue with a bit of common sense, by suggesting that the police should not have to fill out a foot-long form every time they stop someone. In my experience that turns what could be a casual chat into a formal and confrontational encounter.

When the Conservatives proposed an amendment to the Serious Crime Bill in October 2007, the government rejected it, saying an increase in stop and search powers was not needed. Politically correct do-gooders, who have no idea what is going on down here on the ground, started to cry racism. They have told everyone who’ll listen that stop and search is an act of the devil. This view harks back to the 1980s when the circumstances on our streets were very different and police attitudes and race relations were poor.

Although we should not be complacent about race relations, I think it is fair to say the situation has moved on. So let’s start looking at the facts. Last year, 27 young people were killed on London’s streets, a lot of them black. All of them lost their lives to a gun or knife. Many more young men have been murdered outside the capital. The government’s response is to put metal detectors in our schools.

I hear the government will now be adopting similar proposals to those made by the Conservatives. These measures should have been adopted long ago.

The government’s treatment of stop and search has made it a highly contentious subject, denying the police the use of one of their most effective tools in crime prevention. Too many young people carry weapons because they feel unsafe and they believe there is no chance of them being caught; and if they are, the consequences are light.

One fact that is ignored in this debate is that the imposition of the rules controlling stop and search has actually done nothing to decrease the number of black and ethnic minority people stopped by the police. So to say that removing these rules will increase the numbers being stopped is plainly wrong. What matters is the right to search.

Under the current system, the police can only stop and search if there is a “reasonable belief” that violence may take place. It is only allowed in a designated area, and the power only lasts for 24 hours. This was devised to protect the black community from unfair treatment by the police. However, the number of deaths among young black people now points to the fact that it has been counter-productive. The black community needs to be protected from violent criminals and a change in the stop and search rules are a big part of that.

Critics say the new measures will damage community relations. That leads me to believe they are unaware of how concerned parents in the wider black community are about the safety of their children. In my area of London people often ask, “What are the police doing about all these killings?” The move to enhance stop and search would be an important step towards answering the question.

A word of caution for the police, though: any change in stop and search rules must be managed well. There should be real accountability, both locally and nationally, for the manner in which stop and search is conducted. The police often talk about intelligence-led policing, so let’s see some of that. Police officers must understand local sensitivities regarding race and religion but at the same time not be too scared to act for public relations reasons. There is helpful new technology such as metal detecting wands that can be used to speed up the whole process and make it less invasive.

The community policing model can be used to educate the community not to fear stop and search. There are many people who have risen to prominence from the days of poor police-community relations who have an old-fashioned view of the situation. So let’s make sure they are not the only voices heard, because they are the ones teaching our children to fear the police.

Increased informal contact between the police and the public will raise the level of confidence in the safety of our streets. The police will be sending a message that they are reclaiming the streets for the public. By contrast, the government’s tactic of putting metal detectors in schools implies it has given up on public safety on the streets outside.

Increased police activity on the streets, aided by a measure that will cut down on time-wasting paperwork should have a positive knock-on effect on all street crime. This is not a black issue; this is a public safety issue. It is good to see someone brave enough in our current climate talk about measures that will help the black community even though they may be controversial.

When Tony Blair was confronted with the issue of safety in black inner-city communities, his government’s response was to suggest that the problem was confined to a few neighbourhoods. But I challenge this view by saying: “Ask anyone on the streets of Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester or any major city if they feel safe.”

If the police cannot be trusted to conduct stop and search on a fair basis, the public will soon find out and I will be the first in the queue to ask for an explanation. But as a black man, who has been searched and is very likely to be stopped under these new rules, I believe they will make the streets safer for us all.

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