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The tragic incident has ignited debates around the effectiveness of stop and search tactics.
A stabbing on board a LNER rail service between Peterborough and Huntingdon left 11 people in hospital last week, with several in a critical condition. It’s since thrown UK transport officials into heated debates around security, with many calling for firmer stop and search protocol on board national rail.
After a man was charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said the government would ‘review security arrangements’ and respond ‘swiftly and in a proportionate way’. However, she didn’t think airport-style scanning – which some have suggested could prevent future attacks – was ‘the right solution for stations in the UK.’
Still, the question remains: could this violent crime have been prevented by stop and search? The evidence is thin.
Last year The Guardian reported that stop and search is one of the less effective tactics to tackle rising violence such as knife crime. Research by the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF), a charity funded by the home office to combat youth violence, found that community-focused deterrence, putting more officers on the street in troubled areas, or mentoring and diversion for potential suspects achieved far bigger cuts in violence.
Those who have criticised the police for failing to stop the rail attacks have also failed to suggest alternative solutions. Yes, stop and search would have exposed the weapon, but what grounds would security have had to intervene in the first place? And how do we define the parameters around stop and search protocol?
As the Youth Justice Legal Centre (YJLC) explains, stop and search is rooted in racism and implicit bias. There is a huge disparity between how police treat BAME people compared to White people in these instances, with many officers unable to provide sufficient evidence-based explanations for their decision to monitor certain individuals.
Yes, a higher volume of officers in high-crime areas can effectively reduce violence – but Peterborough station would not have been a top priority on a Saturday night. And throwing more police at the problem doesn’t instantly fix it – if anything, these services are already spread thin and heavy-handed intervention only risks leaving other areas vulnerable to unmonitored criminal activity.
Plus, even once suspects are approached, the disparities only escalate.
The YJLC records show that Black people were 5.7 times more likely to experience force during a stop and search than White people, and 9 times more likely to have tasers used on them.
