Stop and Search

The story of Stop and Search

In 2010, Hampshire Constabulary received a letter from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) with reference to their “Stop, Think” report (which was based on 2007/08 data). This letter identified that the ratio of recorded stop and searches on Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) individuals in Hampshire was disproportionate.

A number of works streams were quickly identified and implemented to address this issue which was treated as a critical incident by the force. The effectiveness of Hampshire Constabulary’s initial response and subsequent work to address the issues raised meant that there was no requirement for EHRC to pursue any enforcement action regarding the disproportionate use of stop and search powers.

This work continues to develop, but has shown encouraging results to date, including improved recording which has led to greater transparency and wider availability of the data and an increase in the positive outcomes resulting from searches. The work is monitored internally through the stop and search silver group and, where appropriate, is moving towards business as usual. It is also monitored by the Police Authority Community Engagement Committee and is one of five equality objectives of the Strategic Fairness and Equality Group for 2012/13.

The new training and culture process has now been in place since August 2010 and is fully embedded within policing practices across the two counties. The process allows us to accurately retrieve data on the use of powers and proportionality of search practice across the two counties.

It has furthermore allowed the Constabulary to establish the activity trends of particular criminals, as well as more readily identify officers who have stopped and searched them and allowed further opportunities to maximise success in other investigations. This was a previously problematic and labour intense process under the old system.

New recruits are taking to the process well on their induction to service using the original training package.

Wide ranging work on the reduction of bureaucracy is currently being undertaken within Hampshire Constabulary. Further improvements are ready for the use in Mobile Data Terminals (MDT) where officers will be able to complete the stop search record on their MDTs and forward an electronic receipt to the person they stopped. This will be progressed when the Force has completed its full MDT roll out.

The Frontline training packages delivered have targeted process, procedure and culture issues and the trainers have ensured that the message is clear on the expectation on staff within the stop and search arena. Since February 2011, officers have been advised of the change in relation to the need to no longer record stop and account encounters. This has relieved a bureaucratic burden on officers and allowed them to focus on Stop and Search.

The Force Policy Procedure is now complete; this has a simple four page guidance document for officers to use as well.

Link to policy:

http://www.hampshire.police.uk/NR/rdonlyres/EF6B8CEF-7496-407A-A8E8-EBBFFEB875EB/0/24700.pdf

The single most significant failure identified within the critical peer review by the NPIA was the Force’s inability to integrate stop and search data from operational stop and search forms (C12As) to the Record Management System (RMS). Effective migration of this data has now allowed the Force to accurately monitor the activity of individuals, teams and across the Areas and Force, thereby identifying any disproportionate use of powers, trends across the teams, the arrest conversion rates and performance. This has now become business as usual.

Our Corporate Communications Department have worked closely with the Silver Group and in particular the Independent Advisory Groups (IAG) in progressing communications activity over this period. Taking into account their views and direction of the group, we have focussed on information & support to the public through our website. Internet templates & content have been designed to provide the public with information and alleviate their concerns through FAQ’s. This includes expectation management and guidance such as what stop/checks are, what it means and how they should react. Templates have been designed to provide performance data on the website which subject to further decisions can be actioned.

The Force continues to consult externally with strategic IAG members being invited to the Silver Group meetings and at an Area level external consultation is taking place within Area IAGs on an ongoing basis.

Response to Equality Act 2010 request from Police Authority – re Stop and Search

Stop and search data by ethnicity is published on the Justice website annually and is contained within their annual report: Race and the Criminal Justice System. The statistical tables include a breakdown by Force of this data. The latest report can be accessed via the below link.

http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/criminal-justice/race.htm

Locally the Police Authority Performance Committee receives a paper annually. This paper provides details in relation to the age, gender and ethnicity of those stopped and searched. It compares the characteristics of those stopped with the known police offender profile. It focuses in particular on the known offender profile for the types of crime that Stop and Search primarily supports: Serious Acquisitive Crime, criminal damage and drugs. The latest Police Authority paper can be located via the link below:

http://www.hampshirepoliceauthority.org/item_9_-_stop_and_search_data_1011.pdf

The Stop and Search data, including a breakdown by ethnicity, is also available within the Performance Profile quarterly for review by the Force Performance Review Group (FPRG) and the quarterly Police Authority Performance Committee. The Performance Profile is available via the link below:

http://www.hampshire.police.uk/Internet/rightinfo/foi/informationclasses/performancefigures.htm

In Mach 2010 the Equality and Human Rights Commission published a report ‘Stop and Think: A critical review of the use of stop and search powers in England and Wales’. The report was critical of Hampshire Constabulary and the use of Stop and Search. In response to this a critical incident was set up, and the Silver Group continues to run and meets quarterly. A number of strands of work were identified which could assist the Force in tackling the issues raised. The Police Authority Community Engagement Committee receives regular updates on the work being undertaken. The latest report to the Police Authority can be located via the link below:

http://www.hampshirepoliceauthority.org/item_10_stop_and_search_bi_annual_update.pdf

The Equality Impact Assessment 151kb relating to the decision to cease the recording of Stop and Account can be viewed.