In the last six months 2,382 people have been stopped and searched thanks to new legislation.

And in the first quarter of 2010 men accounted for 83 percent of people arrested. A racial breakdown of arrests also revealed 90 percent were black.

Yesterday the quarterly bulletin of statistics were released by Police, they showed that the number of stop and searches rose by 297 percent compared to the first quarter of 2009.

Between January and March 2010 Police conducted 1028 stop and searches compared to 345 during the same period in 2009. Police have only been able to stop and search individuals since the end of 2008 when the Police and Criminal Evidence Act was passed. It gave them powers to search someone when they have reasonable grounds to do so.

Commissioner of Police Michael DeSilva said yesterday: "The increase in stop and searches is as a result of officers becoming more used to and confident in the use of these powers."

In total 1,300 people were arrested during the first quarter of 2010, of those arrested 83 percent were men and seven percent were women. People aged 26-35 made up the largest age demographic of those arrested, accounting for 384 of arrests. While those aged 18-25 accounted for 361 arrests.

Only 107 people arrested were foreigners and the majority of people arrested were black. Whites accounted for only 10 percent of arrests during the first quarter of 2010, two people arrested were Asian.