Liberal Democrats have expressed concern with the stop and search operation conducted outside Wood Green underground station on 26th August 2007. Lib Dems see the activity as ineffective and unfairly targeting black and minority youth groups. Metal detectors were erected outside the tube station to identify weapons in an effort to crack down on incidents at the Notting Hill Carnival during the weekend.

Lib Dems have voiced their concern for the blanket approach used and considered it as resource intensive but yielding little results.

Cllr Fiyaz Mughal (Noel Park ward) comments:

“We have all seen over recent months the need for effective police action on knife and gun crime. However I am concerned at the high proportion of black and ethnic minority members of the public being stopped in this exercise. Stop and searches based, not on intelligence led operations, but on blanket, knee jerk profiling is not what is needed. This only serves to harm community relations if one group it unfairly targeted.

“It only takes one individual to call through to his or her friends to alert them to the stop and search for this measure to be rendered useless. Using better intelligence and even tracking people who have previously been troublemakers would be more legitimate and effectual means of reducing gun and knife crime.”

Cllr Ron Aitken, Lib Dem Crime Spokesperson, adds:

“The use of so many police officers in this manner, although good for public perception, is an ineffective use of the limited police resources. Using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut will not work.

“There is a fine line between the need to combat terrorism and crime and the freedom of all individuals – I am sure that this approach does not serve any that well.”