Transparency
6. Stop and Search (Basingstoke)
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 harm caused by drugs and drug-related activity is a priority for us in Basingstoke, and this is shown in the latest data with a large number of our searches being carried out where there was suspicion of drugs being present.
Of the 149 stops we carried out, 101 of these were on suspicion there were drugs present.
Work continues to address the Basingstoke Street Gang (BSG), who cause harm in our community. The BSG has actively recruited younger members, who are coming to notice for criminality leading to stop-searches.
We have carried out 16 searches for offensive weapons, and four for firearms.
Elsewhere, we have also conducted 23 searches for stolen property.
Is our use of Stop and Search in Basingstoke proportionate?
The data shows in the last quarter that a black person was 3.5 times more likely to be stopped.
Of our 18 stops of BAME individuals, just over half (10) do not live in our area. We know county lines networks will send 'runners' from out of county - particularly from London - to deal drugs in the area.
Understanding people's views and experiences of Stop and Search is incredibly important to us, and we know there are concerns about how fairly it is used, as well as those who support its use.
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 and Search in Basingstoke?
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.
How does this fit in with our District Priorities in Basingstoke?
The current district priorities for Basingstoke are:
- Op Witch (Basingstoke Street Gang)
- Tackling drug-related harm