Stop and search

Derbyshire Constabulary believes that Stop and Search - when used appropriately - is an effective tactic allowing the police to keep the communities of Derbyshire safe by preventing and reducing crime. As a force we follow BUSS Guidance to ensure that it is used correctly, at the right time, in the right place and in the right circumstances. We also need to our local communities to assist us in critically assessing its use.

Our action plan sets out the recommendations from the four mentioned reports and details what Derbyshire Constabulary is doing to meet these recommendations. This will be kept updated so that the progress we are making can be seen. You can see the latest performance information on the Why We Use Stop and Search page detailing the number of stop and searches and arrests broken down by ethnicity, reason for search and reason for arrest.

Latest stop and search figures

Stop and Search data packs chart the number of stop and searches carried out in Derbyshire, and the various outcomes.

You can also now view stop and search activity and download the latest stops details and outcome of stops within the county by visiting Police.uk. 

You will see what stop and searches have been conducted in a particular area, with details on each search.

Scrutinising our stops

Scrutiny panels take place throughout the year. These are when a group of people from our Independent Advisory Group meet with staff from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to scrutinise a selection of Stop and Search forms.

If any inadequacies or errors are found these will be then fed back to the relevant officer - and their line manager - and the issues are addressed.

These are panels are held to ensure fairness and equality to everyone who is stop searched by an officer.

Click here to view the latest minutes of the scrutiny panel meetings.

Super-complaint 2021

In May 2021, the Criminal Justice Alliance (CJA) submitted a super-complaint.

Section 29A of the Police Reform Act 2002 defines a super-complaint as a complaint where “a feature, or combination of features, of policing in England and Wales by one or more police force is, or appears to be, significantly harming the interests of the public”.

The super-complaint system is designed to examine problems of local, regional or national significance that may not be addressed by existing complaints systems. The super-complaint, entitled ‘More harm than good’, raises the CJA’s concerns about “harms caused by ‘suspicion-less’ stop and searches and inadequate scrutiny of stop and search powers”.

The ‘suspicion-less’ stop and searches to which the CJA refers are those the police carry out using their powers under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (which we subsequently refer to in this report as ‘section 60’). A section 60 authorisation gives the police powers to stop and search people and vehicles, without suspicion, for “offensive weapons or dangerous instruments” for incidents involving serious violence. These powers only apply to a designated locality in a police force area for a set period.

The HMICFRS report makes 10 recommendations, including that chief constables ensure that:

• all officers understand and comply with their responsibility to safeguard children who are stopped and searched;
• forces communicate effectively with communities on the police use of section 60 stop and search powers; and
• briefings on section 60 operations are recorded and are subject to scrutiny.

The report also makes recommendations to improve how forces work with community scrutiny panels, which help to play an important role in reviewing how police use stop and search powers. Panels should include people affected by stop and search, and panel members must have appropriate training and support.

Derbyshire Constabulary has responded to the recommendations, and we have assessed our performance against these.  We already comply with the safeguarding responsibilities regarding children and have a strong and challenging external scrutiny processes regarding our use of stop and search powers. Independent panels have access to unedited body worn video of our searches. Derbyshire Constabulary have not used Section 60 powers for a number of years and should there be a need for them to be authorised, we have plans in place that would ensure communities are consulted, briefed, reassured and the use of these powers including authorisations, briefings and the searches would be independently scrutinised.

We also continue to roll out an annual training programme for our officers which includes the content covered in the recommendations.

To view the full report, visit the HMICFRS website.    

Further information

Below is a short video produced by Derby College students further explaining what Stop and Search is.

If you have any questions in respect of Stop and Search in Derbyshire then please email Stop&[email protected]