Londoners being asked for views on thorny issue of stop and search

The Met is seeking the views of Londoners on stop and search through a newly-launched survey.

The survey asks questions to Londoners about what they think about stop and search practises to help establish a charter between local communities and the police

As part of the New Met for London plan, the Met is attempting to reset its relationship with London’s communities.

When done right, stop and search is an effective tool and officers take 4,000 dangerous weapons off the streets every year as a result of this tactic – saving lives.

When done poorly, it can have a detrimental impact on the relationship between the police and local communities – especially those who are disproportionally affected by stop and search.

Habib Kadiri, a representative from the campaign Stop Watch, said: “In our line of work, we have seen too often how stop and search is routinely used to profile racialised and marginalised peoples, rather than as an effective crime-fighting tactic.

“Roughly 70 per cent of searches result in no further action taken and only a tenth of searches recorded are intelligence-led.

“What this survey will most likely uncover is the hurt and personal trauma of those wrongly treated.

“If the Met is serious about healing the ever-souring relations between Londoners and the police, then they ought to listen to those voices.”

The 32-question survey is hosted online and focuses on the public’s perception of stop and search, personal experiences of the tactic, training for officers, and what could be done better.

It takes approximately 20 minutes and results will have a lasting impact on how the Met carries out the tactic to better police London.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who leads the project, said: “A key part of our plan to reform the Met is to work closely with our communities, ensuring we police with their consent.

“Stop and search has always been a contentious issue. When used well it saves lives and is important in keeping Londoners safe, helping us identify criminality and take dangerous weapons like knives and firearms off our streets.

“I know some Londoners have a poor experience of stop and search and that has damaged the trust, confidence and co-operation of some communities. That distrust is higher in communities where stop and search powers are used most often, generally where violent crime, driven by a small minority, is highest.

“This is why we are taking the first steps to reset our approach. We want to hear from Londoners and create an agreement between the Met and the public on how we conduct stop and searches in the future.”

Over the past few months teams across the Met have been speaking to a diverse range of people across the city including charities, faith groups and youth groups – having open and frank discussions about stop and search practises.

Neighbourhood policing teams have also held discussions with community groups on the topic the need for better training for officers, better public education around the tactic, and improvements on how stop and search is recorded and audited for transparency.

To complete the survey please click on this website

Picture: Wikimedia Commons/Martin Addison