An independent report by Safer Neighbourhood Panels has found that officers in the Staffordshire Moorlands ‘met the requirements’ when carrying out the Stop and Search procedure.
Panel members in Staffordshire Moorlands received training on how and why Stop and Search is used by police officers. This enabled them to examine records of local Stop and Search incidents, including footage recorded on police body worn video, to make sure it is being used appropriately.
The report scrutinised 7 individual cases and the panel confirmed that all cases ‘met the requirements’ and ‘they wished to congratulate the officers involved’.
The panel identified one occasion where two people had been searched but only one record could be located. It was later confirmed that a Stop and Search report was submitted for both interviews but hadn’t been flagged to the panel. This will be investigated further.
The panel suggested that Body Worn Video recordings were not being retained for a long enough period but acknowledged that ‘work to improve retention of Body Worn Video should continue’ and that ‘system improvements will help officers’
Staffordshire’s Commissioner for Police, Fire and Rescue and Crime, Matthew Ellis said:
‘Stop and search is an important police power but can seriously harm public confidence in the police when used wrongly. I am pleased to hear that officers in the Staffordshire Moorlands are using stop and search powers appropriately.
‘This report demonstrates the importance of Safer Neighbourhood Panels and my aim continues to be to make policing in Staffordshire the most open and transparent in the country.’
Safer Neighbourhood Panels are made up of local residents who meet regularly with their area’s local policing commander. There are currently a number of vacancies on the local panels across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent which the Commissioner is urging residents to apply for.
