Internal scrutiny and review processes

Serving the public is at the heart of everything we do. We want our communities to trust that we are using the powers we have, such as the power to stop and search and the power to use force, fairly and effectively. This is why it is important that we are open and transparent about what happens after a stop and search and how we hold ourselves to account.

There are four ways in which stop search interactions are reviewed and assessed. Each of these reviews can result in feedback to the officers and supervisors concerned, to either highlight concerns raised from the review or note where there have been examples of good practice.

Supervisor Review

The direct supervisor (typically a sergeant) of the officer who conducts the stop and search reviews both the written record and any body-worn video of the interaction. Supervisors are given training to ensure that we apply our powers of stop and search accurately and fairly across our communities. This review considers the legality of the stop search, the manner of communication, and the quality of the interaction.

Inspector Review

Area Inspectors also review our stop search interactions. Each month, the Inspector picks three records at random and reviews the circumstances of the stop search to provide direct feedback to the officer and the supervisor. This ensures that the stop search has been conducted fairly and accurately, and for reasons that would make sense to our communities.

Internal Review Group

Stop searches are also dip-sampled by a broad collection of staff from within the organisation, known as the Internal Review Group. They review around 10-20% of all stop searches, looking at both the written record and the Body Worn Video footage to ensure that supervisors and inspectors have carried out their reviews fairly and accurately. Any lessons that could be learnt from the reviews (both good and bad) are circulated to supervisors to share with their officers.

Tactical Lead Grounds Review

The Tactical Force Strategic Lead for Stop and Search and Use of Force also chairs a meeting every month which reviews a further 15-20 interactions, again providing direct feedback to the officer and their supervisor where there are significant concerns or markedly good practice.

Ongoing scrutiny

But our commitment to holding ourselves to account does not end there. The lessons we learn from our internal reviews are also shared widely around the force, to our tactical and strategic policing powers boards, where organisational learning and policy decisions are considered, to our Community Scrutiny Panels, and externally to HMICFRS (His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary and Fires and Rescue Service) and the Home Office which records and publishes stop search data from across the UK.

View our stop search data.