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Stop and search

‘Stop and search’ or ‘stop and account’ powers allow police to combat street crime and anti-social behaviour, and prevent more serious crimes taking place.

The Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) have completed a review on how stop and searches are conducted throughout England and Wales. Police forces are currently working with the EHRC in order to improve the effectiveness of their stop and search powers. The EHRC has highlighted in certain areas throughout England and Wales that there are disproportianate amounts of Black and Asian people than White people stopped and searched.

So, what does this mean for Thames Valley Police?

Within Thames Valley, we are currently taking steps to review and improve the quality of stop searches. For officers within Thames Valley, their concerns are around the lawfulness of the search and the necessity of the search, and this is weighed against the impact upon the community.

Stop and search quarterly monitoring report - 1 October to 31 December 2011 (PDF 179 Kb - opens new window).

Stop and search quarterly monitoring report - 1 July to 30 September 2011 (PDF 147 Kb - opens new window).

Stop and search quarterly monitoring report - 1 April to 30 June 2011 (PDF 96 Kb - opens new window).

Stop and search quarterly monitoring report - 1 January to 31 March 2011 (PDF 138 Kb - opens new window).

This document is a quarterly monitoring report regarding the use of police stop and search powers in the Thames Valley Police area under Section 1 Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, Section 23 Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and Section 47 of the Firearms Act 1968. The monitoring report covers the period 1 January 2011 to 31 March 2011.

Who can stop you?

• A police officer. A police officer does not have to be in uniform.
• A police community support officer (PCSO). A PCSO must be in uniform.

A PCSO can only search for alcohol if that person is under 18 and tobacco if that person is under 16. That said, a PCSO can always stop people to get an account from them if they believe they are carrying any of the legal items listed below.

What is a ‘stop and search’?

You can be stopped and searched in a public place and an officer believes that you are carrying any of the following:

• Drugs, weapons or stolen property.
• Items that could be used to commit a crime.
• Items that could be used to commit an act of terrorism.

Officers can stop and search you if they have reasonable grounds to suspect. For example, that you fit the profile of a criminal seen in the area, or they think that you’re acting suspiciously. View legislation on this - Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (opens new window).

Sometimes, officers can search everyone in an area when, for example, there is evidence that serious violence could happen there.

What is a ‘stop and account’?

You can be stopped and asked to account for:

• What you are doing.
• Why you are in an area or where you are going.
• What you are carrying.

Officers can stop and talk to you at any time - to ask whether you have witnessed an incident, for example. This is not a stop and account or stop and search.

What if I’m in a vehicle at the time?

• A police officer can stop a vehicle at any time. You may be asked to show your driving documents.
• If an officer has reasonable grounds to suspect that your vehicle contains stolen goods, drugs or weapons, they could search it even if you are not there. The police must leave a notice saying what they have done. If the search caused damage, and the police didn’t find anything to connect you to a crime, you can ask for compensation.