BLACK people in Gloucestershire are three times more likely to be stopped and searched than other races, a report claims.

The figures revealed yesterday by the Equality and Human Rights Commission show for every white person, 3.3 black people were stopped by the police in the county during 2007/08.

Asian people were stopped less than white people, with a ratio of 0.9 to 1.

Alexandra Macrae, chief executive officer of the Race Equality Council for Gloucestershire (Glosrec), has already lobbied local police to change their methods.

She said it was a "highly sensitive" issue, particularly among the African-Caribbean community.

"Considering most stop and searches are drug-related, you have to bear in mind the proportion of white users is high, if not higher, than black or African Caribbean people," she said. "To pick on the black population because of a perception that they are either using or dealing drugs is to racially stereotype them.

"Are the police saying black people are three times more likely to be involved in crime than white people?

"The fact is if you are black and drive an expensive car at two o'clock in the morning you are likely to be stopped by the police."

Several police forces across the country have been highlighted by the commission as using the stop and search system in a discriminatory way.

In some areas, black people are stopped and searched at least six times the rate of white people. Asian people are about twice as likely to be stopped and searched as white people.

If black people were stopped and searched at the same rate as white people in 2007/8, there would have to be around 25,000 stops and searches of black people. Instead, there were more than 170,000.

The commission will write to police forces with the most concerning statistics.

It has not ruled out taking legal action against some forces under the Race Relations Act.

Mrs Macrae said the figures gave a damning impression, given the black and ethnic population in the county was just 2.8 per cent according to the 2001 census.

And she criticised Gloucestershire Police for no longer funding a seat for Glosrec on the Police Authority.

"It is always good for the police to have somebody who stands apart from them to provide an independent view, it is a pity unlike other police forces across the country, Gloucestershire police will not fund us," she said.

Of the 38 forces surveyed, Gloucestershire had the 20th highest proportion of black to white searches.

A police spokesman said: "Stop and search powers are an effective tool in preventing, reducing and detecting crime and in ensuring the safety of the entire community. We aim to ensure that stop and search activity is intelligence led, used fairly across all ethnic groups and in a way that enhances community confidence."