BLACK PEOPLE are six times more likely to experience use of force from the British Transport Police (BTP) more than their white counterparts, according to figures.

A Freedom of Information Request showed official records detailing how BTP officers used force 6,325 times in 2019-20, with one in five cases involving black people.

The BTP polices England, Wales and Scotland’s rail networks.

A spokeswoman said the BTP “will always place diverse communities at the forefront of our policing approach.”

She continued: “We are acutely aware of our responsibility to demonstrate fair and effective policing and to consistently analyse and challenge the way we work.

“Our approach will put the community at the heart of this process, and not only welcome but invite their scrutiny.”

An analysis of figures from National Travel Survey and Department for Transport (DfT) by the BBC, reveal that black people are roughly six times more likely to experience force at the hands of police.

Data from the BTP show 17.5% of all use-of-force incidents were against a black person.

The travel survey is considered “one of a number of different data sets we consider when delivering operational activity.”

Addressing the recent disparities, a spokeswoman for the BTP commented: “It is important to contextualise that BTP is unique in policing a national and transient population, which covers many very varied local demographics across three countries.

“It also means there are geographical influences on our operational activity which may not be reflected accurately in figures on a national level.”