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?
We have seen an increase in the number of stops in our data for the period from June to August in 2024, although this increase is consistent with the same period from last year.
The largest proportion of stops were around searches for drugs, equating to 75 per cent of the overall number. This is likely down to Boomtown Festival falling in this period, which sees in excess of 60,000 coming to Winchester for the event.
Just over 14 per cent of our stops related to theft offences, with searches for stolen goods, with a focus on those we know are persistently engaging in shoplifting. We have taken a targeted approach to tackling this, using Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs).
Is our use of Stop and Search in Winchester proportionate?
Our data shows a black person is 5.8 times more likely to be stopped in Winchester compared to a white person.
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.
