More stop and searches are needed to tackle gun and knife crime, according to the Liberal Democrat's London mayoral candidate, who visited Haringey this week.

Brian Paddick, a former borough commander for Lambeth with nearly 30 years' experience in the police force, said more people need be stopped and searched to dramatically reduce levels of violence on London streets.

Eleven teenagers have been fatally shot or knifed in London in the past three months, many of them from north London.

In 2007, 27 young people were killed in street violence, including Danielle Johnson, Annaka Pinto and Martin Dinnegan who all lived or went to school in the borough.

Mr Paddick stressed that spot-checks must be intelligence-led and properly targeted to stop innocent young people from being victimised.

He said: "Guns and knives are on the streets and why do you have them if you don't intend to use them?

"Whether it's for respect, self-defence or to threaten someone with them, we need to get weapons off the streets and the best way to do that is through stop and searches.

"We need to build back the trust and confidence in the police so law-abiding people, who know the people who have the guns and knives, feel comfortable contacting the police. So when searches are carried out it's done to the right people and not innocent young people who are targeted because they look a certain way or fit a stereotype."

Home Office figures show young black men are six times more likely to be stopped and searched than their white counterparts.

Critics say increased use of stop and search tactics would inevitably affect black community disproportionately.

Rev Nims Obunge MBE is the chief executive of the Peace Alliance, an independent voluntary organisation in Haringey that works to reduce crime and the fear of crime and promote peace in the community.

He said: "Target-led stop and searches is something that has been batted around for a few years, but what exactly does it mean and how does it work? We need more policing by consent, not less. There is a definitely a problem which needs addressing but police and the communities concerned need to be able to sit down together and explore the implications of increasing stop and searches.

"To me it is a quick-fix solution to a problem that requires long-term investment and preventative measures and I can't support that."

Mr Paddick, campaigning ahead of mayoral elections on May 1, visited Haringey to meet the community and listen to their concerns.

He visited Wood Green Tube station and Alexandra Palace and ended in Crouch End.