Police in West Yorkshire remain much more likely to stop and search black or Asian people than white people, according to new figures.

A report to West Yorkshire Police Authority says black people are more than six times more likely to be stopped and searched than a white person while Asian people are almost twice as likely.

The arrest rate, however, is similar between different races, with 8.6 per cent of white people being arrested after a stop and search, 7.3 per cent of Asian people being arrested and 9.4 per cent of black people.

Of the 49,231 stop-searches carried out by West Yorkshire Police last year, 37,836 were of white people, 6,303 were Asian and 2,785 were black.

Another 1,373 have been recorded as ‘unknown’ and 835 as ‘other’.

The report, to the authority’s local policing and partnerships committee, states that historically, the increased likelihood of black people being stopped and searched has shown relatively little fluctuation.

Figures since 2005 have consistently shown black people being between six and seven times more likely to be stopped and searched than a white person.

West Yorkshire Police Feder-ation chairman Tom McGhie said the stop-and-search powers were an important police tool which needed to be used proportionately.

He said: “Police officers have to justify the reason for a stop and search as it is important these powers are used proportionately and sensitively, certainly in West Yorkshire where we have a very diverse population.

“It may be officers are reacting in certain areas because of intelligence received or incidents which have taken place. The only way you can detect whether someone is carrying a knife is by stopping them, searching them and looking for that weapon.”

Rashid Awan, president of the Pakistan Association of West Yorkshire, who in the 1960s became the force’s first Asian officer, said he supported the stop-and-search powers if officers used impartiality.

He said: “I’m quite convinced that with the rising crimes in various serious offences such as drugs, gun crime and knife crime, as a citizen I feel very comfortable if people are stopped who are suspected.

“We should support the police in order to bring about all the convictions of people who are involved with these crimes of a very serious nature.”