Extra officers will patrol Hackney tonight as stop and search tactics are stepped up in the wake of the fatal stabbing in Stoke Newington.

The enhanced search powers will be used from 4pm today until 4am tomorrow in postcodes chosen based on intelligence.

It comes after a 26-year-old man was knifed to death on the George Downing Estate off Cazenove Road last night. It was the second fatal stabbing this month in N16 after father-of-three Daniel Frederick was killed yards from his home in Shakspeare Walk on January 8.

A third man is recovering after being stabbed in nearby Lordship Road on January 10, in an incident that also saw shots fired.

The stop and search legislation, under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act, allows police to search people if they believe, with good reason:

– Serious violence will take place and it is necessary to prevent it

– The person is carrying a weapon

– An offence involving serious violence has taken place and a weapon used in the violence is in the vicinity.

Det Insp Paul Ridley said: “The MPS must ensure supervision, scrutiny and accountability as key factors to ensure the trust and confidence of communities in the use of this power.

“The use of this power has been fully considered and will also involve the additional tasking of resources. I have deployed extra officers on foot patrol and in vehicles.

“We encourage residents to remain vigilant and report any concerns or suspicious activity. We have witnessed the horrific consequences of knife crime and will continue using all tactics available to us to protect the public and disrupt individuals who believe they can carry weapons.”

Det Ch Insp Gary Holmes, who is leading the investigation into last night’s stabbing, has appealed for witnesses to come forward.

He said: “This is a tragic incident which has led to a young man losing his life.

“At this early stage we retain an open mind as to motive and several lines of inquiry are ongoing.

“I am appealing to anyone who was in the area of the George Downing Estate around the time of the incident to come forward, even if the information you have seems insignificant, as this may prove vital in piecing the events of this incident together.”

Anyone with information about last night’s stabbing can contact police via 101, tweet @MetCC or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.