No To Section 60: Letter to local MPs demanding suspicionless search legislation is scrapped

Here’s a draft letter to be sent to your local MP demanding that they push for the repeal of Section 60 police stop and search powers

No to Section 60 7th August, 2024

The Bristol Cable

NB: You can also sign our petition.

[Date]

Dear [MP’s name]

My name is [your name] and I am writing to you today with my concerns about a police power that must be challenged.

Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 gives police forces the power to stop and search people without suspicion at all that they have committed a crime.

It has long been condemned as not just an ineffective tool but a racist power that disproportionately targets people of colour, particularly Black people, young people, and damages trust in policing.

A Black person is 8.7 times more likely to be stopped than a white person during a Section 60 stop and search operation.

The Criminal Justice Alliance launched a super complaint in 2021, demanding the repeal of Section 60 stop and search powers and more effective community scrutiny of stop and search.

Successive governments have refused to scrap the legislation and police forces continue to use the power – despite the longstanding and growing evidence that it can lead to human rights abuses.

As my representative in Parliament, I urge you to call for Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to be repealed. As campaigners say, time and time again it’s proved to be a racist and ineffective power.

If I can provide you with any more information on this matter, or if you would like to arrange to discuss it with me, please do let me know. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

[Your name]

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