The independent group appointed by Staffordshire Commissioner Matthew Ellis to strengthen public scrutiny of policing has turned the spotlight on the way police use force and stop and search powers.
The South Staffordshire Safer Neighbourhood Panel (SNP) was launched by Mr Ellis in 2015 to give local people the opportunity to hold policing in their area to account.
The panel carried out a comprehensive review of how stop and search is used by local neighbourhood policing teams in South Staffordshire.
Panel members scrutinised stop and search records and body-cam footage to make sure the powers are being used appropriately, that individuals who are stopped are properly informed of their rights and that the reasons for using stop and search are clearly recorded.
Read the report in full.
Although the sample size was small, the scrutiny team were unanimous that the cases viewed provided enough evidence that standards in the use of force were being maintained by the police officers viewed in the video footage.
Staffordshire 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.
“Because of this, it’s an obvious area for the SNP to scrutinise to make sure stop and search is being used appropriately.
“The panel allows local people to hold those responsible for policing in their area to account, and it’s reassuring to see the positive results of this review.”
Chief Inspector Mark Ward, South Staffordshire LPT Commander, added: “I am pleased to see that the panel found each example to be of the standards expected of officers in terms of professionalism and maintaining necessity, reasonableness and proportionality. I’m proud of the work of the team, and this scrutiny should provide further evidence of a professional and positive South Staffordshire neighbourhood policing team.”
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent residents are invited to join their local Safer Neighbourhood Panel to shine a spotlight on local policing.
Panels are established in Cannock Chase, Staffordshire Moorlands, South Staffordshire, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Lichfield, Stafford, Tamworth, East Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent North and Stoke-on-Trent South.
Find out more about being part of a Safer Neighbourhood Panel.
