Black people in parts of Richmond borough were far more likely to be stopped and searched by police than white people, according to a new study reported by The Guardian.

The research, commissioned by Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime and carried out by King's College London, examined around 152,000 stop and search encounters carried out by the Metropolitan Police in 2023.

Across London, the study found significant disparities in how the controversial police power is used.

One of the most striking findings highlighted by the Guardian concerns East Sheen, where Black people were 48 times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people.

Researchers said the area was among several wealthy London neighbourhoods where disproportionality was particularly high.

Green Party candidate for Ham, Peterham & Richmond Riverside, Jaydan Okunola, commented: "Richmond is widely known as London's safest borough, a reputation that we citizens value and work hard to maintain.

"However, for a community to be truly safe, policing must be experienced as fair by everyone. 

"When two-thirds of stops and searches result in no further action, it suggests that 'vague' suspicion too often takes the place of intelligence-led evidence.

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"While we recognise that the Black population in Richmond is around just 2 per cent, these statistics are a significant indicator of how our streets have been policed."

Similar patterns were found elsewhere in the capital. In the ward covering Dulwich Village, Black people were 40 times more likely to be stopped than white residents, while in Hampstead the figure was 38 times higher.

Across London's 679 council wards, the report found around 25 areas where Black residents were at least 20 times more likely to be stopped and searched than white residents, and another 60 wards where the disparity was 10 times greater.

The researchers also examined the reasons given by officers to justify stop and search powers and found that explanations for searches involving Black individuals were often weaker or more vague.

One example referenced involved an officer stopping a man after claiming he had given a "furtive glance" and touched his pocket, leading the officer to suspect he might be carrying drugs. Nothing was found during the search.

Dr Yijing Li, senior lecturer in urban informatics at King's College London, said the analysis showed "clear evidence of unexplained disproportionality" in how the power is used.

The study also found that perceptions of fairness varied significantly between groups.

Around 65% of white people stopped by police felt the encounter was procedurally fair, compared with 37% of Black people.

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Researchers warned that stops based on weaker grounds can damage trust in policing, particularly when no further action is taken.

Across England and Wales, around two-thirds of stop and search encounters result in no action.

London mayor Sadiq Khan described the findings as "significant and unacceptable".

"This major new research shows levels of disproportionality that we must act on," he said.

Khan added that a mandatory annual report on how stop and search is used in London will be introduced to improve transparency and accountability.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said the force believes stop and search remains an important tool in tackling violent crime.

They added that the force's approach has evolved since 2023, with independent inspectors finding 95% of searches met the required standard in 2024.

The Met also said each London borough now has an independent community scrutiny panel and that its Stop and Search Charter, developed with community groups, aims to improve fairness and consistency in how the power is used.

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