Almost exactly one year ago I was stopped by the police with my friend.

One of the officers told us that the reason for the stop was that the car was registered to North Yorkshire. However, after checking again, the officer came back and said we were telling the truth, and apologised for wasting our time. The system had “made a mistake.”

I filmed it because I wanted to raise racial profiling and shine a light on the often-daily experience of people of colour in this country. National statistics show that black people are nine times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people.

Brent & Kilburn Times: MP Dawn Butler says the police are there to serve the communityMP Dawn Butler says the police are there to serve the community (Image: Archant)

To get to the truth I put in an official complaint to the IOPC, the report for which still hasn’t been released after nine months. But I know the importance of good policing and I want to work closely with the police to build a better service for the community.

Two Met police officers were charged over photographs taken at the scene of the brutal murders of Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman in Brent. Last week I attended their vigil and I thought about how much the system has failed them. The family had to get their own relatives and friends to search for them, they tragically found their bodies. It’s truly heart breaking.

Unacceptable conduct and bad apples must be dealt with. It will benefit not just the community but the police themselves, as there are so many good officers who don’t want to be tarnished by bad apples. I work with so many good police officers in Brent and beyond, they too deserve a safe environment.

The police are there to serve the community. My campaign is about ensuring that we all get a police service that is fit for purpose.