Stop and search, Police in talks

Police chiefs are looking to increase the expansion of stop and search powers by lowering the level of suspicion an officer needs.

 

Amid concern over knife attacks Police want to remove the requirement for "reasonable grounds" in order to implement a search.

 

Sajid Javid and senior officers have held talks to discuss the issue. 

 

The proposals, which only apply to England and Wales, would make it more likely that those caught with knifes could be dealt with by an education programme (the so-called public health approach).

 

The deputy chief constable of the British Transport Police, Adrian Hanstock and national lead on stop and search for the National Police Chiefs' Council confirmed the plans. 

 

Hanstock said, "There are a lot of calls for officers to do more stop and search. But the current individual threshold that officers have to meet is very tight and precise. So is there any appetite to reduce that threshold where [an] officer has a genuine fear that the person is at risk, or there is a safeguarding threat, or is a risk to others?

 

"If that officer does not have sufficient grounds or X-ray vision to see they are carrying a weapon, and they are concerned they may have something to cause harm, that should trigger a search.

"They will still have to record what has concerned them."

 

Concerns have been rising in London about knife killings and calls from some for a greater use of stop and search. 

 

The use of stop and search powers dropped under pressure from the government, but has increased in recent months in London. 

 

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