Stop Search data Feb2025 - Jan2026
Stop and Search Powers
A police officer has powers to stop and search you if they have ‘reasonable grounds’ to suspect you’re carrying:
- illegal drugs
- a weapon
- stolen property
- something which could be used to commit a crime, such as a crowbar
You cannot say no to being searched if there are reasonable grounds to search you. The police officer can stop you from walking away if you try to.
You can only be stopped and searched without reasonable grounds if it has been approved by a senior police officer. This can happen if it’s suspected that:
- serious violence could take place
- you’re carrying a weapon or have used one
- you’re in a specific location or area
Data taken from the Home Office Website Police powers to stop and search: your rights : Police powers to stop and search - GOV.UK
Volume of Searches
In the last 12 months, police officers have carried out 2,914 stop and searches. This compares to 1,817 stop and searches in the 12 months ending January 2026. This is an increase of 60.4%, which is attributed to better focus and improved recording practises.
| Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | |
| Feb-24 to Jan-25 | 126 | 175 | 137 | 153 | 142 | 108 | 110 | 124 | 169 | 162 | 190 | 221 |
| Feb-25 to Jan-26 | 255 | 216 | 244 | 243 | 221 | 212 | 226 | 269 | 263 | 285 | 244 | 232 |
Type of search
Stop and Searches are broken down into 3 categories, these are:
- Person Only
- Vehicle and Person
- Vehicle Only
76% of searches in the 12months to Jan-26 were ‘Person Only’ this follows the trend as last year.
| Month Year | Feb-2025 | Mar-2025 | Apr-2025 | May-2025 | Jun-2025 | Jul-2025 | Aug-2025 | Sep-2025 | Oct-2025 | Nov-25 | Dec-25 | Jan-26 | 12mths Total |
| Person Only Search | 198 | 165 | 190 | 187 | 154 | 150 | 173 | 188 |
199 |
234 |
196 |
172 |
2208 |
| Person and Vehicle | 49 | 44 | 47 | 49 | 54 | 53 | 47 | 72 | 57 | 41 | 38 | 51 | 602 |
| Vehicle Only Search | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 96 |
| Total Number of Stop & Search | 255 | 216 | 245 | 243 | 214 | 212 | 226 | 269 | 263 | 285 | 244 | 232 | 2906 |
Reason for Search
In the last 12 months to January-26, 59% of all stop and searches were recorded with a stop reason of “drugs”. This was the top reason for the previous 12 months.
| Total | 255 | 216 | 245 | 243 | 214 | 212 | 226 | 269 | 263 | 285 | 244 | 232 | 2904 |
| Reason | Feb-25 | Mar-25 | Apr-25 | May-25 | Jun-25 | Jul-25 | Aug-25 | Sep-25 | Oct-25 | Nov-25 | Dec-25 | Jan-26 | 12mth Total |
| Drugs | 140 | 135 | 162 | 148 | 130 | 140 | 125 | 172 | 145 | 148 | 144 | 125 | 1714 |
| Offensive Weapon | 39 | 33 | 33 | 39 | 10 | 34 | 54 | 50 | 62 | 68 | 23 | 43 | 488 |
| Stolen Property | 33 | 34 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 13 | 21 | 24 | 35 | 21 | 45 | 33 | 340 |
| Going Equipped | 9 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 73 |
| Criminal Damage | 19 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 87 |
| Firearms | 4 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 26 |
| Items in Conncection with Protest Related Offences: Suspicion Led | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Anticipation of Violence (s.60) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terrorism Act 2000 (s.43) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 11 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 26 | 25 | 16 | 135 |
| Unknown/Not Entered | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 34 |
When recording a Stop and Search, Police Officers should record certain demographic details which includes self-defined gender, age and ethnicity of every person who is stopped and searched.
78% of searches conducted in the 12mths to Jan-26 were recorded as male
27% of searches conducted in the 12mths to Jan-26 were recorded aged 18-24 and 25% were 35-59 years
Gender
| Feb-25 | Mar-25 | Apr-25 | May-25 | Jun-25 | Jul-25 | Aug-25 | Sep-25 | Oct-25 | Nov-25 | Dec-25 | Jan-26 | 12mth Total | |
| Male | 203 | 171 | 174 | 180 | 166 | 155 | 161 | 198 | 216 | 208 | 181 | 188 | 2201 |
| Female | 43 | 38 | 56 | 51 | 34 | 36 | 46 | 51 | 34 | 61 | 48 | 30 | 528 |
| Not Stated / Unknown | 1 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 79 |
| Total | 247 | 209 | 237 | 236 | 208 | 203 | 220 | 260 | 256 | 275 | 234 | 225 | 2808 |
Age
| Feb-25 | Mar-25 | Apr-25 | May-25 | Jun-25 | Jul-25 | Aug-25 | Sep-25 | Oct-25 | Nov-25 | Dec-25 | Jan-26 | 12mth Total | |
| Under 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 - 17 years | 64 | 50 | 49 | 52 | 53 | 30 | 49 | 58 | 59 | 57 | 47 | 57 | 625 |
| 18 - 24 years | 65 | 57 | 68 | 64 | 49 | 42 | 43 | 71 | 85 | 90 | 63 | 61 | 758 |
| 25 - 34 years | 48 | 37 | 49 | 56 | 47 | 51 | 49 | 44 | 39 | 45 | 43 | 44 | 552 |
| 35 - 59 years | 60 | 54 | 60 | 55 | 46 | 62 | 59 | 65 | 59 | 74 | 65 | 48 | 707 |
| Over 60 years | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 24 |
| Not Stated / Unknown | 9 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 10 | 140 |
| Total | 247 | 209 | 237 | 236 | 208 | 203 | 220 | 260 | 256 | 275 | 234 | 223 | 2808 |
Self-Defined Ethnicity
| Feb-25 | Mar-25 | Apr-25 | May-25 | Jun-25 | Jul-25 | Aug-25 | Sep-25 | Oct-25 | Nov-25 | Dec-25 | Jan-26 | 12mth Total | |
| Arab or Other | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 28 |
| Asian | 16 | 2 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 83 |
| Black or Black British | 10 | 9 | 17 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 18 | 7 | 17 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 134 |
| Mixed | 4 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 96 |
| White | 112 | 91 | 151 | 150 | 137 | 117 | 142 | 185 | 167 | 207 | 129 | 120 | 1708 |
| Not Stated / Unknown | 103 | 96 | 45 | 50 | 43 | 60 | 47 | 47 | 55 | 51 | 85 | 77 | 759 |
| Total | 247 | 209 | 237 | 236 | 208 | 203 | 220 | 260 | 256 | 275 | 234 | 223 | 2808 |
Object Found
In 29% of stop and searches over the last 12 months, the articles found by officers were linked to the initial reason for the search. A further 4% of searches resulted in other unrelated articles being found during the search. However, in 67% of searches nothing was found.
| Feb-25 | Mar-25 | Apr-25 | May-25 | Jun-25 | Jul-25 | Aug-25 | Sep-25 | Oct-25 | Nov-25 | Dec-25 | Jan-26 | 12mth Total | |
| Linked | 65 | 72 | 69 | 55 | 63 | 58 | 71 | 77 | 78 | 89 | 68 | 65 | 810 |
| Not Linked | 14 | 7 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 16 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 105 |
| Nothing Found | 176 | 137 | 162 | 180 | 137 | 138 | 141 | 182 | 169 | 187 | 168 | 159 | 1936 |
| Unknown Link | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Whether Article Found | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Not Stated / Unknown | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 34 |
| Total | 255 | 216 | 245 | 243 | 214 | 212 | 226 | 269 | 263 | 285 | 245 | 232 | 2905 |
Year-on-year comparison
| Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | |
| Feb-24 to Jan-25 | 31.5% | 26.4% | 31.6% | 32.9% | 31.2% | 29.6% | 26.4% | 36.3% | 32.1% | 43.2% | 36.3% | 25.8% |
| Feb-25 to Jan-26 | 31.0% | 36.6% | 33.3% | 25.3% | 32.5% | 32.4% | 36.8% | 30.8% | 35.7% | 34.4% | 31.1% | 31.2% |
Outcomes
42% of the total stop searches in the 12mths to Jan-26 resulted in further police action being taken, ranging from arrests to voluntary interviews and community resolutions, such as rehabilitative and diversionary activities. However, 56% led to no further action being taken. Last year it was reported that 61% of searches led to no further action, which is an improvement in our outcomes.
| Feb-25 | Mar-25 | Apr-25 | May-25 | Jun-25 | Jul-25 | Aug-25 | Sep-25 | Oct-25 | Nov-25 | Dec-25 | Jan-26 | 12mth Total | |
| No Further Action | 157 | 123 | 144 | 158 | 111 | 99 | 120 | 149 | 140 | 160 | 141 | 138 | 1640 |
| Arrest | 55 | 45 | 50 | 43 | 52 | 51 | 49 | 65 | 60 | 59 | 51 | 50 | 630 |
| Voluntary Attendance | 9 | 8 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 6 | 8 | 92 |
| Community Resolution | 29 | 30 | 26 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 18 | 15 | 26 | 24 | 17 | 18 | 270 |
| Khat/Cannabis Warning | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Verbal Warning / Words of Advice | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Seizure of Property | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 69 |
| Summons | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 16 |
| Caution | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 33 |
| Penalty Notice for Disorder | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Guardian Intervention | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Action | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 16 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 9 | 7 | 91 |
| Unknown / Not Recorded | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 11 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 54 |
| Total | 255 | 216 | 245 | 243 | 214 | 212 | 226 | 269 | 263 | 285 | 245 | 232 | 2905 |