Ex-Met chief reveals regular stop and search due to Asian descent

Basu, who retired in 2022 as an assistant commissioner, said that he was stopped as recently as two weeks ago, attributing it to his ethnicity.

• Vivek Mishra
• 16 September, 2024

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By: Vivek Mishra

NEIL Basu, a former Metropolitan Police counterterrorism chief, has spoken out against stop and search tactics, revealing that he has been regularly targeted due to his Asian descent.

Basu, who retired in 2022 as an assistant commissioner, told The Times that he was stopped as recently as two weeks ago, attributing it to his ethnicity.

Basu, who was the highest-ranking police officer of Asian descent, said stop and search has led to a significant decline in trust between ethnic minorities and the police.

Speaking to The Times Crime and Justice Commission, he said, “I’m confident that I’m the only chief constable in the last 30 years to have been regularly stopped and searched, including two weeks ago at Heathrow. I guarantee I’ll be searched again this Saturday.”

He added that while officers may provide lawful reasons for the searches, the impact on individuals is often underestimated. Basu described the experience as humiliating.

Basu, who joined the Met in 1992, oversaw counterterrorism efforts during his career, including six terrorist attacks such as the Manchester Arena bombing and London Bridge attacks.

He acknowledged stop and search as an important tool but argued that it is “massively overused” and often abused. He credited former home secretary Theresa May for questioning its widespread use, saying much of it had been unlawful.

Andy Marsh, chief executive of the College of Policing, disagreed with Basu’s views, stating that stop and search, when applied sensitively, does not harm community relations.

According to Home Office data, ethnic minorities are more likely to be stopped and searched than white individuals.

In the year to March 2023, black people faced 24.5 stops per 1,000, compared to 8.5 for Asian people and 5.9 for white people.