Transparency

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?

In quarter two, the majority of our searches (46) were conducted where there was a suspicion of drugs being present.

Targeting active county lines drug networks is a focus for us as a district, and we are seeking to establish a High Harm Team, which will be dedicated to tackling those causing the most serious harm and committing violence in our district.

We have also carried out nine stops where we were searching for stolen goods.

Is Stop and Search proportionate?

The data suggests that you are 15 times more likely to be searched in the New Forest if you are black. This is something that is monitored closely and appears excessive because of our demographic.

In this quarter, the figures relate to just eight searches, four of which related to one incident where drugs were seized. All of the eight subjects were from out of the area and had intelligence linking them to known drug gangs.

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.

So how does this fit in with our district priorities for the New Forest?

The current district priorities for the New Forest are:

• Cross border criminality
• Acquisitive crime and drug-related crime in Ringwood and Bransgore
• Op Hollard – business burglaries in New Milton following spates in Sept / Oct and Nov