Stop and Search

The force has a commitment to becoming more open and transparent. Part of this is being better at sharing and engaging on some of the powers that our police officers use to keep people safe, and that includes Stop and Search.

We believe that greater scrutiny will further ensure that our use of these is right and proper.

What are we searching for?

This quarter, we have conducted more stops and seen more arrests off the back of these, while fewer searches have resulted in no further action being taken. The majority of our searches are focused around drugs, offensive weapons and stolen property, which mirrors our priorities as a district.

These are tackling domestic abuse, shoplifting, and disrupting those involved in acquisitive crime. Among our stops linked to stolen property, we have been able to recover items on multiple occasions and return these to their rightful owner.

All of the teams remain focused on these areas and are supported by the Priority Crime Team and Neighbourhood Enforcement Team in these priorities, as well as targeting drugs networks, prolific offenders and developing crime trends.

Is Stop and Search proportionate?

During this quarter, our officers carried out one stop of a black person, while three people of mixed heritage were searched. There were 117 stops of white people, making up 83 per cent of the total stops.

Our data shows you are 2.1 times more likely to be stopped if you are black, and 2 times more likely to be stopped if you are of mixed heritage.

We know that some families who have lost loved ones to violence and drug related harm advocate police searches but we also know many people have concerns about whether policing powers are used fairly. As a force we know that it helps us to keep people safe and spend considerable time scrutinising how it is used. But, we also recognise that our view alone is not enough.

We need views from others so we are doing far more engagement than we did previously. Scrutiny involving our Independent Advisory Groups (made up of members of the public) is therefore part of our approach, and we would encourage people all of our communities to get involved in these groups. ​We also want to hear more views on Stop and Search. Follow us on Facebook if you’d like to take part in discussions about policing in your local area.

Where can I find more information about Stop & Search in the New Forest?

You can see more about the numbers by looking at the infographic, below. We have also provided the same data in a different format if that is easier for you.

Where can I find the data from previous quarters?

If you want to view data from previous quarters, then you can check out both the graphic and text-only versions of this below.

What is the New Forest Independent Advisory Group (IAG) and what do they do?

Each quarter, members of our community meet as part of our IAG to discuss stop and search within the district and conduct a dip sample of searches to ensure they are lawful and proportionate.

Along with this, they will also take a look at locations where there have been a number of stops and individuals who have been stopped multiple times.

Unfortunately, due to members leaving the panel in the summer of 2023, we have had to recruit new members. This has been completed and will begin their meetings soon.

If you wish to find out more or join our IAG, you can email [email protected]