They are trained to examine a person and come to a conclusion based on that observation that takes all of ten seconds. Of course they look like things like nervousness, but they are making an assessment on whether or not IN THEIR OPINION you are up to no good…so those conclusions can be based on that officer’s personal prejudices. if that officer has an opinion that all people with dreads smoke weed, that is the conclusion they will make about the person who walks up to them with dreads. If they decide you are up to no good IN THEIR OPINION, they will mark your card likewise and at the secondary point you will either be sent out the door or off to be searched…all based on the officer at the primary point-many people don’t know that. If they decide that all white people are honest, they will not single you out. If they decide that all young, black males are criminals, they WILL single you out. That is a fact.

What’s the alternative, if not equality?

“Blacks commit 85% (or whatever it actually is) of the crime so the cops go after them more…”

Let’s look at it the other way…

“Cops go after blacks more than white folks, so there is a higher percentage of black folks that get caught doing crime.”

When we give percentages on crime, we’re only counting the crime that gets caught.

If the authorities focus more on one group, of COURSE, there’s going to be a higher rate among that group.

The current 315F flows from the UK legislation intoduced in 1994 to deal with what
was termed antisocial behaviour including football violence.

Over time it was used to deal with gang violence in the UK and that is likley why it was imported to Bermuda?

It sits on our criminal code becuase there was unprecedented violence that required such an unprecendented response.

You like to spout off about slavery as though you are an authority, as though you have or are going through it. One thing that really pisses me off is individuals like you who try to slide on the blood, sweat and misery of those gone before us. It indeed make my blood boil.

Have a look at this: http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/slaverya21stcenturyevil/

And tell me how you compare to these poor souls who are in bonded slavery today, 21st Century, sitting with your belly full, nice car(?) without a care in the world, with your hands out demanding something that is not yours! Get an education and a life! I am done with you!

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/federal-judge-lifts-nypd-stop-and-frisk-ban-bronx-article-1.1245600

With that in mind, and the fact that there have been gang related shootings happening over a number of years, and that these shootings are continuing with three last weekend, police have an ongoing reason to effect 315F searches in order to search for weapons.

That brings us on to who the police search and why there is a disproportionate number of young black males searched. The police are looking for weapons, gang members have been proven to carry weapons, and court records show that gangs are predominantly made up of young black males. It follows that police are going to stop and search a higher proportion of young black males.

I totally agree that the wording of 315F – especially clause 5

“A police officer may….stop any person or vehicle and make any search he thinks fit whether or not he has any grounds for suspecting that the person or vehicle is carrying weapons or articles of that kind”

is flawed when read in isolation, but in the context of the section read as a whole, 315F is only in effect:

“If a police officer of or above the rank of inspector reasonably suspects—
that incidents involving serious violence may take place in any locality and that it is expedient to give an authorisation under this section to prevent their occurrence”

In conclusion, the police are dealing with ongoing gang activity and the possession and use of weapons in the community, if the use of stop and search helps to take weapons of the streets, which has happened (most recently last month in Somerset I believe) then I think the police should use it.

Note, in a country of 64,000 (including expats)Blacks make up just over 50%. If you only count Bermudians, then Blacks make up approximately 70%. Statistically 90% of those S&S are people of colour. No matter which way you look at the figures profiling is going on.

The major issue is that innocent people are being stopped WITHOUT probable cause. Not only has the Federal Court in the U.S. decided that under their law it is unconstitutional, but also the European Court of Human Rights have also issued a ruling against this kind of S&S. Both Centre for Justice and CURB have sought separate legal opinions as to whether it is unconstitutional and both opinions have stated it is unconstitutional.

you people will try any cheap shot you can to make your lame cause seem real. shut uP!

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Blacks commit 85% of the crimes, that is why they tend to get police in their business more – whether search or whatever. Come on man! Of course they ain’t gonna pull over a nerdy white guy or old white lady!

In the mid 60s getting frisked on the streets of Hamilton was almost a daily ritual, this happened to both me and my black mates. Those English and Carribean cops didn’t discriminate, if anything, I received it more so because I am hard-headed. But, I learned. Once I stayed away from Hamilton and showed a little respect, all of my Police problems went away.

Now I have the utmost respect for our Police and will help them in anyway I can.

Funny how time changes attitudes, maybe in time your racist attitude will change also.

Now you can’t dress a certain way? Really? How do criminals dress?