Stop and search

To help prevent crime and protect the safety of the public, Suffolk Police officers can stop people and ask them to account for themselves in some circumstances. However, before a search is carried out, a police officer must be able to explain on what basis they are searching you.

The confidence of local people is crucial to good policing and the use of stop and search has the potential to have a big impact on how the local community views the police.

In Suffolk, a larger number of people from a Black or Minority Ethnic (BME) background are stopped and searched compared to those who are white. This has lead to an ongoing programme of work to address this disproportionality and ensure the trust communities have in the policing service is not compromised.

We have worked with the Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality (ISCRE) to produce a new form which is simpler and quicker for police officers to use, and also allows the force to review the way searches are carried out.

In addition there are two important groups that work very closely with the police to ensure the Constabulary’s use of Stop and Search is fair and effective:

• The Suffolk Constabulary Stop and Search Improvement Partnership is chaired by a member of the Police Authority and oversees the delivery of an action plan focussing on inspiring confidence, training and communication, monitoring and supervision, data recording and performance.
• The Stop and Search Reference Group is made up of people from local communities mainly from BME groups. The group scrutinises draft forms and offers invaluable insight and advice enabling the police to continue to improve the trust and confidence of BME communities regarding Stop and Search.