Stop and Search
15. Stop and Search (Winchester)
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?
The largest proportion of our stops in this quarter related to drugs searches, which accounted for around 71 per cent of the overall total. This is in line with our district priority, with officers focusing attention on the harm caused by drugs and drug related activity.
While we have seen a slight decrease in the overall number of searches conducted by our officers, a look at the same period last year shows us this is consistent with that timescale.
Around 15 per cent of our stops related to theft offences, with the majority of these linked to those we know will persistently shoplift and we work hard within force and with partners to tackle this. One of the things we have implemented as part of this is 10 Criminal Behaviour Orders.
Is our use of Stop and Search in Winchester proportionate?
Our data shows a black person is 7.8 times more likely to be stopped in Winchester compared to a white person, while a person of mixed race is 4.3 times more likely.
The fairness and proportionate use of powers such as Stop and Search is something that we know will be a focus for many.
Our Independent Advisory Groups provide scrutiny each quarter, viewing a sample of stops to ensure they were conducted appropriately, and that they were lawful and proportionate.
The scrutiny panel have reviewed Winchester’s statistics around disproportionality as well. No issues were reported and the panel were happy with the results.
Where can I find more information about Stop and Search in Winchester?
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 previous quarterly data?
If you want to take a look at data from previous quarters, then you will find this below.
