Should police be allowed to stop and search?

THE controversy over the stop and search of athlete Bianca Williams and her partner in Maida Vale, West London, was put into context by singer Chrissie Hynde, who said the area has a high crime rate (Mail). Most people who are stopped are innocent, but a small percentage are found to be carrying a weapon or drugs. Stop and search can prevent a serious crime, such as a stabbing. Sometimes the police get it wrong, as in the case of Ms Williams and her family, but they get it right as well.

GEORGE RADLEY, Warley, W. Mids.

I WAS stopped by police on my way to work at 7.30am in an unfamiliar part of London. I was told to sit in the back of the police car by a rude, aggressive officer. When I was told I would be given a fixed penalty notice, I muttered what I thought of him. The next thing I knew I was under arrest and being taken to the police station. We were almost there when they received an emergency call and I was thrown out of the police car after being warned I would receive a summons. As a lift engineer in my mid-40s, I had never been in trouble with the police. I was so angry at what had happened that I wrote to the Chief Constable, asking: ‘Would a man in a suit or a woman of similar age be treated the same?’ I received the reply that ‘We have never had a complaint about this officer’, but, I heard no more about the fixed penalty.

BOB HOBBS, Guildford, Surrey.

I WAS pulled over by the police after coming out of a rural pub where there was a lunchtime party upstairs. I had met a friend there for a coffee. I had to stand by the side of the road, where I was patted down and breathalysed. When the test was negative, the officers apologised. I thanked them for keeping drink drivers off the road.

PAULINE WILKINSON, Stroud, Glos.