Implementation of Recommendation 61 of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry

Report: 07
Date: 1 May 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

Recommendation 61 of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry which seeks to establish a system whereby a record is made by police officers of all stops and stop and searches. This report outlines the progress being made towards implementation within the Metropolitan Police Service.

A. Recommendation

The Board is asked to note the contents of this report.

B. Supporting information

Overview

1. Recommendation 61 of Stephen Lawrence report stated “That the Home Secretary, in consultation with police services, should ensure that a record is made by police officers of all ‘stops’ and ‘stop and searches’ made under any legislative provision. Non-statutory or so-called ‘voluntary’ stops must also be recorded. The record to include the reason for the stop, the outcome, and the self-defined ethnic identity of the person stopped. A copy of the record shall be given to the person stopped”.

2. The MPS is one of seven police services across the country selected by the Home Office to participate in the phased implementation. The intention of the Home Office is to reflect different policing environments and resident population profile. The other six police services are:

• Merseyside;
• North Wales;
• Nottinghamshire;
• Sussex;
• West Midlands;
• West Yorkshire.

3. After detailed consideration of the options by MPA, MPS, Home Office and the observers from the sub-group of Stephen Lawrence Steering Group, Hackney borough was chosen in the MPS for the first phase of implementation of Recommendation 61. This implementation commenced on 1 April 2003. The recording of self-defined ethnicity (16+1) also commenced across the MPS on 1 April 2003.

4. To drive forward the implementation, a Steering Group chaired by Commander Broadhurst of the MPS has been formed. The group consists of Doreen Lawrence, Ravi Chand (NBPA), Paul Quinton (Home Office) and Cecile Wright (MPA). In addition, MPS staff from Hackney, the Consultancy Group and the Diversity Directorate also attend.

5. A workgroup consisting of practitioners to address issues relating to communication, form design, training and the stops database also meets on a regular basis. Julia Smith, Policy Officer CDO, represents the MPA.

Training

6. As of 31/03/03 605 police officers and 31 civil staff have been trained. The training of staff that missed the training cycle in February and March will be completed by 10/04/2003.The evaluation of training is being done by the Internal Consultancy Group.

Information Technology

7. The new stops database became operational across the MPS on 1st April 2003; it has been running successfully in Hackney as well as the rest of the MPS. Data from the stop/search form will be added to the database by dedicated inputteres. On 10 March 2003 these data inputters were given training at NSY on how to use the new database.

Internal communication

8. The Directorate of Public Affairs (DPA) has produced an internal communication strategy. There have been articles in the internal Newspaper ‘The Job’, posters and updates on the Diversity Directorate Intranet site. Hackney borough also has an interactive intranet site where staff’s questions have been answered by the Senior Management Team. Hackney borough has informed the local public about the implementation using literature and presentations on the subject.

External communication

9. The MPA has the lead on external communication strategy. DPA will continue to liaise with the MPA in order to provide the most up to date information to the public.

Forms

10. The new stop and search forms were delivered to all boroughs prior to April 2003; these forms are now being used across the MPS by all police officers. The forms have been designed to meet the requirements of the new code of practice ‘A’ relating to stop and search as well as to record stops under Recommendation 61.

11. Code of practice ‘A’ governs the exercise by police officers of statutory powers to search a person without first arresting that person or to search a vehicle without making an arrest . One of changes introduced by the new code of practice ‘A’, implemented on 1 April 2003, state a record of the search must be given to the person concerned at the time of the search. Code of practice A is applicable across whole of the MPS whilst Recommendation 61 is being implemented only at Hackney borough.

12. Prior to implementation of Recommendation 61 at another Borough Operational Command Unit, the MPS will assess the evaluation of the training at Hackney. The MPS will also examine the early findings from Hackney from both the police and public perspective and also the evaluation carried out by the Home Office across the other six police services. The second site for implementation will be chosen after full consultation with all of the partners.

IT based solution

13. Following the decision of the MPA and MPS that a hand–held IT solution would be progressed at a second BOCU, the Project Implementation Document for Recommendation 61 has been updated to show the following:

• Determine requirements for hand-held IT device that can be used by officers whilst out of the station to record information on stop encounters (based on the learning from Hackney)
• Development of system

14. The Directorate of Information (DoI) state that they will be in a position to consider the technical feasibility of a hand held device for stop/search records no earlier than June 2003. This time scale gives them the opportunity to explore the issues emerging from Hackney. It is then anticipated that Doi will pilot the device in early autumn, possibly September 2003. The timescales associated with this objective will be revisited with a view to implementing a suitable technical solution as early as possible.

15. During the interim period Superintendent Chris Miles of Doi is progressing the testing of a hand held device that officers will use for PNC access whilst on patrol. Although this cannot be used for stop/search at this time, it will assist in the evaluation of the device in terms of both viability and the practicalities of issuing hand held devices to operational officers.

Progress in other implementation sites in England and Wales

16. The Home Office state five out of six of the other police services commenced the first phase of implementation of Recommendation 61 on 1 April 2003, Merseyside will commence on 1 May 2003 as they had contractual issues with a company providing IT for optical scanning of forms.

C. Equality and diversity implications

There is a lack of confidence in the criminal justice system, particularly among minority ethnic communities in relation to stop/search activity. The implementation of Recommendation 61 and changes in the revised Code A will significantly increase both the trust and confidence of the public in policing. Recommendation 61 will provide the opportunity for the person stopped to self-define their ethnic identity according to the classification in Census 2001. This will assist the MPS to monitor the treatment of different ethnic groups in order to improve the service we provide.

D. Financial implications

Training

The use of Diversity, Associate and local trainers to deliver the training package to 650 operational staff will cost a total of £68,200.

• Associate trainers (£35,000)
• Diversity trainers (£18,080)
• Hackney trainers (£15,120)

Stop and search forms

At present Hackney officers submit approximately 10,000 search forms. It is anticipated that the implementation of Rec. 61 will result in a total of 20,000 stops and stop/searches.

• Total printing cost £23,000.

Stops database

As mentioned in the previous report the development of the new stop/search database to incorporate the additional requirements under Code A and Recommendation 61 will cost approximately £500,000 to roll out across the MPS.

The specific costs relating to Hackney have been submitted to the Home Office to secure their funding for the phased implementation of Recommendation 61. The Home Office has awarded £60,000 to the MPS. The intention is to use this money to fund an inputters post at Hackney and to offset the cost of employing associate trainers.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author: Inspector Manpreet Bains, Diversity Directorate

For more information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback