'Stop right now, thank you very much': MPA Stop and search conference

32/08
20 June 2008

The Metropolitan Police Authority is holding a wide-ranging stop and search conference on Saturday 21 June.

Delegates will discuss the MPA's successful work to transform the practice of stop and search in London and have the opportunity to influence the way ahead for monitoring processes in the light of recent and forthcoming government reviews of the practice. The conference will bring together community groups, police authorities, police, community safety managers and community members involved in monitoring the practice of this crucial police tool.

John Roberts, MPA lead member for stop and search, said:

"At the MPA conference we'll be celebrating the progress made through partnership working between police and communities to add confidence and trust in the effective use of stop and search, and share best practice from the experience of other cities. We'll be acknowledging how far we've travelled while exploring how we can make even more progress in the future.

"The MPA has worked consistently to transform the way in which the Met interacts with London's communities. We recognise that poorly handled encounters between the police and the public have the potential to damage community relations.

"That's why our stop and search scrutiny in 2004 was explicit in its demand for officers to be trained to treat people with respect when carrying out stop and search operations. This plays a major role in the continued implementation of citizen focussed policing - making police services more responsive to the needs and concerns of our communities."

In conclusion, John said:

"Having implemented the recommendations of the MPA scrutiny, the Met has come a long way over the last four years. The MPA has continued to implement change to make stop and search more transparent and accountable. We now have better and quicker recording of stops and searches, are tackling ethnic disproportionality effectively, have clearer lines of accountability, higher arrest rates, and reductions in unnecessary bureaucracy. We have also introduced Community Monitoring Networks, operating in every London borough, that enable local communities to monitor the practice in their local area, in partnership with the police, and challenge any misuse directly."

Keynote speakers include:

Tony McNulty MP, Minister of State for Security, Counter Terrorism, Crime and Policing;
Len Duvall, chair MPA;
Kit Malthouse, deputy mayor for policing, first deputy chair MPA;
Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick, MPS;
Commander Rod Jarman, MPS lead for stop and search.

Greater Manchester Police Authority will outline their work building trust in stop and search practice; the co-chairs of the London Stop and Search Community Monitoring Network will outline community priorities for the future use and monitoring of stop and search across London; and there will be drama presentations by the young people of Second Wave, the Lewisham performing arts project.

Notes to Editors

1. ‘Stop right now, thank you very much’: 10:00 – 16:00 this Saturday, 21 June 2008 at the Park Plaza Riverbank, 18 Albert Embankment SE1 7TJ.

2. Members of the media wishing to attend should confirm their interest by calling the MPA press office:
Jacqui Jones 020 7202 0217
Michael Upton 020 7202 0218
Out of hours: 07769 742 795

3. Speaker times:

• Len Duvall - the MPA’s scrutiny of stop and search 10:10;
• Kit Malthouse - developing a safer London 10:20;
• Tony McNulty - the future of stop and search 13:45.

4. The MPA published its stop and search scrutiny report, making 55 recommendations for change, in May 2004. All of these recommendations have now been enacted. The background to the scrutiny, and the final report, is available at: www.mpa.gov.uk/issues/stop-search/default.htm

5. The Home Office sponsored stop and search website provides information about the police tactic and people’s rights: www.stopandsearch.com

Further media information

For further information, please contact the MPA press office

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback