From my Police Contact who works for the Lancashire Police in Preston. I have learnt that young persons are more vulnerable to bag searches then other demographic. This is because the Police officers carrying out such searches at ports of entry are told to concentrate on people who are in their early twenty's. This power derives from Scetion 44 of The Terrorism Act 2000. This clause gives the police reasonable grounds to search a person if they believe they are a terrorist.
When I notice such searches in operation at Preston train station, I notice a random nature to the operation. In amongst a group of three my friend was the one to be searched where I and my other friend were allowed to leave and catch my train. Why my friend was searched and not me? Is an unanswered question. It gives you the impresson that such Police operations are a deterrance and if so why only search students?
When contacted about the issue the Police denied that such orders are issued and describe the searches as intelligence led.
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
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