University’s research helps to change stop and search policy

Research carried out by Dundee University has helped Police Scotland to develop a new approach to the way it uses stop and search powers.

Dr Megan O’neill, from Dundee, and Edinburgh Napier’s Dr Liz Aston have evaluated a new approach to stop and search piloted by Police Scotland’s Fife Division.

Their report, published by the Dundee-based Scottish Institute for Policing Research (SIPR), highlighted elements of the pilot that can be regarded as good practice while also making 19 recommendations for improvement.

Police Scotland has now published its response, highlighting the ways in which policy has been changed.

One of the key proposals led to the end of consensual searches, where people were searched by police even if they had no legal basis to do so.

It means police must have reason to believe an individual is carrying something illegal before they can search them.

Dr O’neill said: “We are absolutely delighted to see Police Scotland respond to our report in this way. Many of the elements of the pilot can be regarded as good practice, but we also noted several areas for improvement, particularly around consensual search.

“Those searched continued to complain about ‘random’ searches during the trial, suggesting that even with the pilot’s methods of making the option to refuse a consensual search explicit and the advice slips provided by officers, confusion remained.

“We therefore recommended that Police Scotland used legislative searches only.

“Only these can truly be targeted at ‘the right people, right place and right time’.”