YOUTHS in Lewisham will be alerted by Blackberry if police are planning a stop and search operation in the borough - a first for the capital.

Supporters of the scheme say it will cut down on the amount of weapons carried in the area but the father of one murdered teenager warns it could do criminals’ work for them.

Under the scheme, launched by the community police consultative group’s stop and search team, youngsters can sign up for alerts through their Blackberry phones.

It will tell them when meetings of the group are taking place, and allow feedback on operations in the borough.

They will also be told when section 60 is used in an area - the order allowing stop and search operations to take place - and advised of their rights.

Vice chairman of the group Councillor Duwayne Brooks explained: “The whole purpose of it is that we use it as a way to engage with people affected by stop and search in Lewisham.”

He said: “What we want to do is let youngsters know there’s a section 60 in the borough.

“It says, these are the rules, this is what you have to do if you get asked.”

Cllr Brooks said: “We want to advise those youths before they get stopped so there isn’t a confrontation.

“It will also deter them coming into the borough with knives.”

Cllr Brooks said a number of people had signed up so far by entering the pin number 23A9141F.

And he said youngsters were assured that their contact details would not be passed on to the police.

But Antoine Ndjoli, whose 19-year-old son Johnson was killed in a New Cross gang attack, questioned the logic of warning people a stop and search would take place.

The 49-year-old said: “If police feel its their duty for someone needs to be stopped and searched we have to support it.

“But I don’t support them telling people they’ll be searched in an area.”

He said: “If the police do that they won’t get what they want and it won’t benefit the community.

Mr Ndjoli, who has set up a youth trust in his son’s name, added: “It’s helping the criminals to carry on with their work.

“If police come to check you road tax do they tell people in advance? Of course they don’t.”

But police claim stop and search is about prevention rather than catching people in the act of carrying a weapon.

Superintendent Lisa Crook of Lewisham Police said: "Stop and search is a vital tool to keep people, especially young people, safe in Lewisham.

“It is a power we use in conjunction with the community and we support the initiative of making the community aware of policing decisions and activity in on the borough whilst section 60 is being used."