Police & Crime Commissioner's support for appropriate use of stop & search

Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster has welcomed new figures that shows a third of stop and searches across the county resulted in a positive outcome.

Figures released from Derbyshire Constabulary show that one in three stop and searches (33 per cent) carried out in the 12 months to July 2022 resulted in a positive outcome such as an arrest, drugs warning, penalty notice or caution.

A total of 1,816 stop searches were carried out between July 2021 and July 2022, in which bladed weapons and drugs were taken off the streets of Derbyshire.

The Commissioner said the figures showed that appropriate use of the powers has a significant impact on public safety and helps police detect and prevent crime while also increasing confidence in the force.

Her Police and Crime Plan outlines a robust action plan to crackdown on neighbourhood crime, as well as delivering stronger and more effective policing across Derbyshire's communities.

"Stop and search is a vital policing tool helping to protect the public, identify offenders and prevent crime," she said.

The Commissioner said she would continue to back the county's police officers in using the powers available to them to keep themselves and the public safe, as well as bringing more offenders to justice.

She has also welcomed government plans to give police officers extra stop and search powers to help protect the public from the threat of terrorism.

The figures show in the 12 months to July 2021, 52 per cent of searches related to drugs while 19 per cent were for a bladed article.

"We know from our engagement work that drug crime and violence cause significant concern among our communities. A large proportion of the stop searches undertaken are for reasons relating to weapon and drug possession and help officers proactively remove threat from our streets.

"Tackling the issues that impact local people is my primary focus and I will continue to support our officers to take whatever law enforcement is necessary to safeguard the lives of local people."

The Home Office has recently published a new paper outlining changes in the draft revised code of practice for England, Wales and Scotland covering the exercise of stop and search powers under the Terrorism Act (TACT) 2000.

It contains a new stop and search power which enables a police officer to search a terrorist offender who has been released on licence and not recalled, and whose licence includes a search condition, at any place where the officer has legal access.