MPS draft guide to Stop and Search

Report: 9
Date: 22 May 2001
By: Clerk

Summary

There are two sets of draft guidelines/good practice guides on the use of stop and search powers which have been submitted to the Authority for comment: one from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and one from the MPS. The MPS guidelines see Appendix 1. The ACPO guidelines will be circulated separately to members for comment following this meeting.

A. Recommendations

1. That, subject to any comments made at the meeting, Members support the MPS proposal to publish the internal interim guidance.
2. In due course Members agree a process to feed views into the preparation of the final MPS guidelines.
3. That Members feed in further comment on the ACPO guidelines as quickly as possible.

B. Supporting information

1. The MPS is keen to publish its internal Interim Guidance document, pending any national changes arising from the Home Office decision regarding Recommendation 61. This reflects senior management appreciation of the importance of using the stop and search powers in a way which does not adversely affect the trust of London's communities. They recognise that this is an interim document and that when national guidance on the implications of Recommendation 61 (to record all stops) is produced this document will need to be revised and re-issued.

2. The ACPO Good Practice Guide is largely based on the MPS's work, although there are significant omissions which deal with some of the more sensitive areas such as definition of police stops and stop and search disproportionality.

3. Following consultation and comments with other interested organisations including the Independent Advisory Group (IAG) and the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), further minor revisions are being made to the document.

4. In the light of concerns raised by certain Members, officers wrote to Assistant Commissioner Mike Todd expressing the view that the interim guidance document should not be issued to officers:

• without CDO and MPA Members being consulted on drafts of the paper; and
• whilst the consultation on Recommendation 61 was still underway.

5. Taking note of the eagerness of the MPS to see that its officers receive this document; but also the concerns raised by the MPA, Members are asked to consider whether the MPA should support the MPS intention that the interim guidelines should now be issued.

6. Members will also wish to discuss a process to have further input into the preparation of the final definitive guidance following the decision of the Home Office on Recommendation 61.

C. Financial implications

There are no financial implications.

D. Background papers

None.

E. Contact details

The author of this report is Julia Smith.

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Appendix 1: Draft guidelines - Association of Chief Police Officers and MPS - Good practice guides on the use of stop and search powers

Available from the Secretariat - telephone 020 7944 8946.

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