Best Use of Stop and Search - second revisits

Summary

In 2014, the Home Office and College of Policing launched the Best Use of Stop and Search (BUSS) scheme (PDF document). The scheme aims to achieve greater transparency and community involvement in the use of stop and search powers, and to support a more intelligence-led approach, leading to better outcomes.

The scheme sets out guidance on:

  • data recording and publishing;
  • the introduction of lay observation policies to allow members of the public to accompany officers on patrol when they might observe stop and search powers being used;
  • the introduction of a community complaints trigger, a complaint policy which triggers explanation to local communities when large numbers of stop and search-related complaints are received;
  • reducing the use of stop and search powers under section 60 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994; and
  • monitoring the impact of stop and search on young people and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

2015

In 2015, HMIC assessed the compliance with each feature of the scheme in each of the 43 Home Office-funded forces in England and Wales, as part of our 2015 PEEL Legitimacy inspection. That inspection identified that:

  • only 11 forces were complying with all five features of the scheme;
  • 19 forces were not complying with one or two features of the scheme; and
  • 13 forces were not complying with three or more features.

2016 inspection

Following an inspection of the 13 forces that were not complying with three or more features of the scheme, HMIC inspected the 19 forces that were not complying with one or two features. The overview report of these revisits, and letters to the individual forces inspected, are available to download below.

Get the national overview

Best Use of Stop and Search Scheme – revisit of 19 forces (PDF document)

Get the 19 force letters

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – City of London Police

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – Cleveland Police

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – Derbyshire Constabulary

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – Devon and Cornwall Police

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – Dorset Police

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – Durham Constabulary

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – Essex Police

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – Greater Manchester Police

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – Hertfordshire Constabulary

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – Humberside Police

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – Kent Police

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – Merseyside Police

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – Metropolitan Police Service

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – Northamptonshire Police

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – North Wales Police

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – North Yorkshire Police

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – South Yorkshire Police

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – Surrey Police

Best Use of Stop and Search revisit – West Midlands Police

Get the press release

Most forces have achieved compliance with the Stop and Search scheme

Get the free PDF Reader from Adobe (external link)