Black people are 12 times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people in Kent.

Figures released by Kent Police reveal almost 6,400 suspects were stopped by officers in 2017.

Almost 13% of those were black people - despite them making up just 1.3% of Kent's population.

WATCH: Black people more likely to be stopped by police

Kent Police's head of public protection and partnership command, Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Richards, insists the force does not discriminate.

He said: "Stop and search is ultimately a safeguarding power that we use to keep the public safe, tackle crime and anti-social behaviour, and prevent terrorism.

"In Kent, we adhere to national guidelines and training standards, which were introduced in 2016, to support a more intelligence-led approach.

"This has led to more stops resulting in positive outcomes such as an arrest or penalty notice.

"Our officers do not discriminate on the grounds of someone’s race, sex, age or any other personal factor.

"They are given clear guidance on appropriate and proportionate use of stop and search powers to ensure that encounters are fair and effective.

"These encounters are also scrutinised to improve transparency and community involvement, in order to help increase public confidence.

"Before and since the census in 2011, our PCSO’s and Community Liaison officers have worked with many of Kent’s diverse and often hard to reach communities in order to maintain their trust."

He added the force understands stop and search is a highly-intrusive power but is kept under constant review.