The Metropolitan Police Service’s use of stop and search powers is being investigated after a report revealed that black Londoners are four times more likely to be searched than the UK average.

Members of the London Assembly police and crime committee will look at how the police have changed their approach over a year since commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said he wanted searches to be used in a more “intelligence-led and targeted way”.

Jenny Jones AM, chairman of the stop and search working group, said: “Home Office studies show that stop and search has a tiny impact on reducing crime, yet disproportionate use against black and minority ethnic communities, and young people as a whole, has a seriously detrimental impact on co-operation with, and the perception of, the police in London.”

The Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) review found that almost a third of stop and searches in the UK were “unlawful”.

Around 27 per cent of the 8,783 records examined did not include sufficient grounds to justify the lawful use of the power and less than half of police forces complied with requirements for search records to be available to the public.

The data has not yet been broken down to reveal results in Redbridge.

If you have been stopped and searched in the borough, let us know how you feel about police use of powers by answering our poll and in the comment section below.

To tell us about an incident, call 0208 477 3821 or email lizzie.dearden@archant.co.uk.