The IPCC has identified stop and search and other issues affecting young people’s confidence in the police as one of its priority areas of work.
We recognise that police use of powers to stop and search people can have a significant impact on public confidence in policing. We are also aware that people who are unhappy with stop and search encounters – in particular, young people and those from black and minority ethnic backgrounds – have the least confidence both in the police and the police complaints system.
The IPCC has developed a position regarding stop and search to help the police service improve the way it uses stop and search powers and to increase public confidence. We believe it is not enough for the exercise of stop and search powers to simply be within the law – the powers should be used in a way that is demonstrably:
Read our full position on stop and search here.
We continue to work to raise awareness of this position across the police service, and among communities and other stakeholders.
We are also seeking further feedback from groups and individuals who have experience of, or particular interest in, police use of stop and search powers or other issues affecting young people’s confidence in police. This will help us to learn more about their views and experiences.
In addition, we are continuing to monitor cases to identify issues and learning, and are working with the police service and government to bring about improvements by sharing our experience and disseminating lessons from relevant investigations.
Our annual Equality Report for 2010/11 provides a brief overview of some of the work we undertook in the last year around stop and search and young people.
The IPCC has made a number of submissions to Parliamentary committees, sharing our experience of the police use of stop and search powers to inform the development of legislation.
IPCC submission to the Joint Committee on Human Rights (3 May 2011) on the Terrorism Act (2000) Remedial Order 2011.
IPCC submission to the Public Bill Committee (10 May 2011) on the Protection of Freedoms Bill.
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