Global progressive policing

The Future of Stop and Search: Assessing police powers and working to reduce discrimination
(Ended 27th Jun 2023)

Online

27th Jun 2023 to 27th Jun 2023

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Tuesday, June 27th 2023,  9:30 AM — 1:00 PM

In the year ending March 2022, the number of stop and searches conducted by police fell to 526,024, down from a high of 695,000 the previous year (in part a result of proactive policing during Covid-19 lockdowns), according to Home Office data. Of these stops, the proportion resulting in an arrest stood at 13%. Arrests for sexual offences increased by almost 32%. The data displays significant disparities in the use of stop and search, as statistics show that black people were 6.2 times more likely to be stopped than their white counterparts in this period, although this was down from seven times more the year before. According to Home Office data, males aged 15-34 from ethnic backgrounds (excluding white minorities) accounted for 29% of stop and search, despite only comprising 2.6% of the population, the highest rate being ethnic minority males aged 15-19, who were searched at a rate of 140 per 1,000 people. 61% of black adults and 59% of white and black mixed ethnicity adults found the experience humiliating and embarrassing, compared with 49% of white adults.

Police forces have broadly reduced their use of stop and search over the last ten years. This came as a result of reforms to police guidance brought in between 2013 and 2016, following concerns that police were overusing these powers and conducting poorly targeted searches and encouraging forces to ensure that their use of such powers was based on ‘robust intelligence and information’. However, the approach taken by the current government marks a clear change from this period, particularly in light of efforts to tackle rising levels of knife crime. In July 2021, as a part of the government’s levelling up agenda, the Home Office released their ‘Beating Crime Plan’, introducing new measures aimed at driving down crime and tackling the underlying causes of repeat offending. This plan permanently relaxes conditions on the use of section 60 stop and search powers, with the goal of empowering police to take more knives off the streets and prevent serious violence. Section 60 orders allow stop and searches to be carried out in the absence of ‘reasonable grounds’ and as such are highly controversial.

This move has been heavily criticised by many for promoting powers which unfairly target those from ethnic minorities, causing black and minority ethnic communities to be disproportionately affected by the negative impacts of stop and search. Additionally, many continue to question both the lawfulness and effectiveness of searches. In 2020, a review conducted by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found that the legitimacy of stop and search was undermined by a number of key issues, including a lack of understanding about the impact of disproportionality, poor communication and consistent use of force instead of seeking cooperation. A subsequent report published by the IOPC in 2022, the National Stop and Search Learning Report, which made 18 recommendations for police across England and Wales to radically reform use of the power, found that police abuse of their stop and search powers is so serious that it is causing “trauma” and damaging confidence in policing , and that black people need “protecting” from stereotyping and racial biases. Many have also argued that a reliance on stop and search powers displays a failure to understand the value of community engagement in crime prevention efforts, suggesting that efforts to tackle issues such as gang crime require legitimate policing, in which officers work with communities to build trust.

This symposium will give policy makers, local authorities, police forces, charities and other interest groups the opportunity to analyse the mounting challenges associated with stop and search and to discuss best practice in promoting accountability, building trust with communities and tackling discrimination in all searches.

Programme

  • Develop strategies to ensure stop and search operations are conducted lawfully and effectively
  • Scrutinise the relaxation of stop and search guidance, particularly with regard to the extension of section 60 orders
  • Examine the findings and recommendations of the IOPC’s National Stop and Search Learning Report and discuss the potential for future reforms
  • Raise awareness of the impact of unlawful stop and search on individuals and communities
  • Address the value of community engagement in policing and discuss methods to build trust and ensure legitimacy
  • Explore strategies to eliminate racial bias from stop and search and ensure proportionality in the use of these powers
  • Discuss methods to improve accountability and transparency in the use of stop and search powers, including the use of body cameras
  • Examine issues around the growing rate of knife crime and how stop and search plays a role in tackling this surge
  • Formulate strategies to improve understanding within police forces of the impact of stop and search and the potential for better communication

Who Should Attend?

  • Police Services
  • Chief Constables
  • Borough Commanders
  • Police and Crime Commissioners
  • Heads of Diversity
  • Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Officers/Coordinators
  • HR Teams
  • Police and Crime Commissioners
  • Community Liaison Officers
  • Community Safety Officers/Managers
  • Community Safety Partnerships
  • Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships
  • Crown Prosecution Service
  • Victim Care/Advocacy Organisations
  • Neighbourhood Policing Teams
  • Community Cohesion Officers
  • Community Engagement Officers
  • Local Authority Officers and Councillors
  • Government and Agencies
  • Charities, Social Enterprises and Cooperatives
  • Third Sector Practitioners
  • Trade Union Representatives
  • Academics, Analysts and Researchers
  • Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs)
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