The role of the scrutiny panel in Greenwich is to monitor the borough's policing teams use of Stop & Search and monitor if it has been done in the correct manner.

 

Asking individuals to account for their presence or behaviour is an important part of everyday policing. Stop and search is an additional and legitimate power that is used by the Met to protect Londoners, tackle crime and keep our streets safe.

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13% of all arrests made by the Met were through Stop and Search and displays what a vital crime fighting tool it is and how it protects Londoners by taking weapons off the streets.

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However, we do not underestimate the impact stop and search has on communities and individuals. We know that to maintain public confidence in its use, the power must be used in a fair and effective manner.

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We believe a stop and search is most likely to be fair and effective when:

• the search is justified, lawful and stands up to public scrutiny

• the officer has genuine and objectively reasonable suspicion they will find a prohibited article or item for use in crime

• the person understands why they have been searched and feels that they have been treated with respect

• the search was necessary and was the most proportionate method the police officer could use to establish whether the person has such an item

 

Fair use

Public complaints arising from stop and search have reduced by 60%.

It is important to measure the impact stop and search has on communities and individuals. 

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