Police Forces Adopt New Stop And Search Code Of Conduct

All 43 police forces in England and Wales have agreed to adopt a new code of conduct on the use of stop and search powers, in an effort to stop misuse of the power and to improve public relations.

Introduced by the Home Secretary Theresa May, the new code of conduct will see police every outcome of any occasion on which stop and search is used.

The aim of the code is that "forces will use stop and search strategically, which will improve public confidence and trust."

The features of the code are:

• Data Recording – forces will record the broader range of stop and search outcomes e.g. arrests, cautions, penalty notices for disorder and all other disposal types. Forces will also show the link, or lack of one, between the object of the search and its outcome.

• Lay observation policies – providing the opportunity for members of the local community to accompany police officers on patrol using stop and search.

• Stop and search complaints 'community trigger' – a local complaint policy requiring the police to explain to local community scrutiny groups how the powers are being used where there is a large volume of complaints.

• Reducing section 60 ‘no-suspicion’ stop and searches by –

• raising the level of authorisation to senior officer (above the rank of

chief superintendent);

• ensuring that section 60 stop and search is only used where it is

deemed necessary – and making this clear to the public;

• in anticipation of serious violence, the authorising officer must

reasonably believe that an incident involving serious violence will take place rather than may;

• limiting the duration of initial authorisations to no more than 15 hours

(down from 24);

• communicating to local communities when there is a section 60 authorisation in advance (where practicable) and afterwards, so that the public is kept informed of the purpose and success of the operation

The new code of conduct can be read in full here.

(MH/CD)