Stop and Search & the Police Complaints System

Presentation to Westminster Briefing: Future of Stop and Search event(23 September 2014)

Jennifer IzekorIPCC Commissioner

• Important issue for stakeholders, especially BME communities and young people.

• Impacts significantly on confidence.

• Evidence of misuse/disproportionality.

• Questions about effectiveness/impact.

• Low numbers of complaints.

• Potential to share good practice.

Why we are involved

• Complaints.

• Appeals.

• Stakeholder engagement.

• Oversight and confidence work.

How we are involved

What we have done

• Fed into guidance and training.• Fed into HMIC inspections.• Fed into consultations on stop and search.• Engagement with ACPO, forces, stakeholders.• Involvement in Public Encounters Board.• Attendance at community meetings.• Events with young people/other stakeholders.

What young people told us

• Most people don’t know how to complain.• Process is too complicated, takes too long.• No trust or faith in the system.• Fear won’t be believed.• Fear of police harassment or intimidation.• Fear that police won’t help them in future.• Think that complaining is not worthwhile.

• Lawful.

• Fair.

• Effective.

• Carries public confidence.

The IPCC stop and search position statement

What a good system would look like• It would be simple, accessible and quick.• Community engagement. • More visibility/promotion of system.• Less need for contact with the police.• Training for Investigating Officers on how to recognise

bias and discrimination. • Complaints would be more involved in process.• Robust quality control measures. • More use of technology – apps, online.

Future• Revision of our stop and search position.• Ongoing work to improve complaint handling.• Revision of discrimination guidelines.• More investigations into serious/sensitive cases.• Increasing oversight and confidence work.• Holding forces to account on use of best use of

stop and search scheme.• Ongoing work with HMIC, the College, ACPO.

www.ipcc.gov.uk