The Police Authority recognises that stop and
search and stop and account continues to be a high-profile
feature of policing. Used fairly, it is helpful to the
development of good relations between the police and communities
but we acknowledge it can damage those relationships if used
inappropriately.
There are entirely proper reasons for the
police to stop people but we expect the police to use stop and
search and stop and account powers fairly and transparently for the
purposes of preventing and detecting crime. Forces therefore
need to operate a clear stop and search policy, including proper
recording of stops and searches and we view this as being essential
for promoting trust and public confidence and reinforcing the
principle that people who are stopped by the police have their
rights too.
Recommendations 62 and 63 of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report
clearly set out the roles of police authorities in this area.
These roles include publicising people’s rights in relation to stop
and search, engaging communities in publicising the benefits of
stop and search and, where there is evidence of disproportionate
use, exploring why and looking at what can be done to remedy it.
Dorset Police Authority continue to work to raise awareness amongst
the general public about stop and search and stop and
account, and the entitlement of those people stopped to an
immediate record.
The Authority is also working to monitor the impact of stop
and search and stop and account on the trust and confidence in
the police, particularly amongst young people and those from
minority ethnic communities. We recognise the importance of
dealing head on with the perception of unfairness that can threaten
the acknowledged effectiveness of stop and search and stop and
accounts as a policing tactic.
Stop and Account
With reasonable grounds, a police officer can stop a member of
the public and ask them to account for their actions, behaviour,
presence in a particular location or possession of an item. Recent
changes have been made to the way that the police record stop and
accounts and officers will now only record such an interaction
automatically on their radio. This will enable details of the
officer, the time and the place of the stop and the ethnic status
of the person to be recorded for monitoring purposes.
Anyone who is stopped under such circumstances will be
issued with a receipt
that provides information not only about the officer who has
stopped them but also where they can obtain further information
about their rights in relation to stop and account. People who are
stopped and searched will continue to receive a copy of
the stop and search recording form that officers are required
to complete at the time of the stop.
Please use the related links to the right of the screen to find
out more about stop and search and stop and account.