An anti-racism charity has threatened to bring back its campaign against a law that grants police the power to stop and search without probable cause.

Citizens Uprooting Racism in Bermuda described the policy as a “proven ineffective method of policing” that results in racial profiling.

It came after Chief Inspector Na’imah Astwood said people “should not be surprised if stop and search powers are being used” in the wake of shots being fired at Front Street’s Docksider Bar and Restaurant.

Over the Bermuda Day holiday, an extra 50 police officers were deployed to use stop and search to try to “ensure a safe weekend”.

The charity said: “Considering the number of complaints Curb received about stop and search in 2011, and the ill will and alienation that this caused in the community, Curb will consider the revival of its campaign against section 315F.”

It added: “While Curb welcomes efforts to prevent and solve crime, we are dismayed that the Bermuda Police Service has yet again resorted to using a tried and proven ineffective method of policing — stop and search.

“Stop and search, particularly as allowed under section 315F of the Criminal Code, that is without probable cause, is a kneejerk reaction to policing, and has virtually no bearing on preventing and solving crime.

“With Bermuda lying at number 15 in the world ranking of states most heavily policed, it may be time for the Bermuda Police Service to revisit strategy.”

The charity explained that it campaigned for the removal of section 315F from the Criminal Code, “the same draconian section that the police indicated they would be using on the public now”, when stop and search numbers in Bermuda reached more than 17,000 in 2011.

Curb added that stop and search numbers had since fallen to 1,100 per year, with crime decreasing.

The charity said: “If stop and search was an effective tool then crime should have theoretically gone up, when in fact the opposite has happened.

“We reiterate our position that stop and search using section 315F is excessive and unnecessary and results in racial profiling.”

Curb also said that police have sufficient powers under the 2006 PACE Act, which makes provision for stop and search with probable cause.

The Bermuda Police Service declined to comment on the Curb attack on stop and search.

Speaking after the Docksider incident, Ms Astwood said: “Naturally, as a police service, we do respond to incidents that happen, hence why we are saying to members of the public to be aware that we may be using stop-and-search powers and we may be in areas in high-visibility patrols.

“We do not wish for this to escalate.”

Explaining the Bermuda Day policing plan, national security minister Wayne Caines said: “We will not have our national holiday marred by the actions of those who seek to instil fear and mayhem in our community. We will not tolerate any antisocial behaviour and bad actors will be held to account.”

• To read the full statement, view the PDF under “Related Media”.