Black People Eight Times More Likely to Be Stopped and Searched in Sussex

New figures reveal black individuals in Sussex are over eight times more likely to be stopped and searched by police compared to their white counterparts.

Home Office data for the 12 months to March shows that nearly 30 black individuals per 1,000 people in Sussex were subjected to stop and search operations, compared to just over three per 1,000 white people. In total, 616 stop and search operations involved black people, highlighting a significant racial disparity in the application of this police power.

A spokesperson from Sussex Police acknowledged the disparity and affirmed that the force is taking steps to address these issues. However, human rights groups such as Liberty labelled it as distressing and disproportionately targeting black communities.

Nationally, black people are five times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people, according to the same Home Office data.

Sussex Police have stated their commitment to becoming an anti-racist organisation, supporting the national Race Action Plan and working towards ensuring fairer policing practices across the region.