Police searches fall as violent crime increases

POLICE USE of stop-and-search powers has been dwindling despite an increase in violent crime, official figures show.

Forces across Yorkshire carried out far fewer searches for weapons or drugs in 2017 than the year before, despite national concern at rising levels of knife and gun crime.

Police said “increased scrutiny” of the use of the powers was one reason for its decline.

Now the police commissioner for South Yorkshire, an area which has seen violent crime rise by 57 per cent in the past year, has said that stop-and-search will be a crucial tool in combating the problem and police should “not feel inhibited” in its use.

Dr Alan Billings said: “The recent increase of violent crime across South Yorkshire will mean that the exercising of these powers could take more weapons off the streets and save lives.

“Unfortunately, young people are carrying knives and if the police can remove them before they are used to cause harm, then this is a good thing. Some people in communities, especially mothers where there has been violent crime, have told me they are favour of stop-and-search and would encourage it to keep them and their families safe.”

South Yorkshire saw the use of stop-and-search fall by 23 per cent in 2017.

Suspicion of carrying offensive weapons, such as knives, accounted for 342 of its 2,069 searches, with one in five leading to an arrest or court summons.

A further 65 suspects were searched for firearms, with 13 arrested or charged.

Chief Inspector Russell Hughes said the long-term reduction in searches was “due to a combination of reduced officer numbers and changes to guidelines from the College of Policing”.

He said a scrutiny panel which examines the force’s use of the powers believes “officers are using the powers fairly and lawfully”.

In West Yorkshire, police searches fell by 37 per cent last year.

Assistant Chief Constable Catherine Hankinson said: “In the main, we attribute this to a number of things, such as increased scrutiny, as well as mandatory training designed by the College of Policing.”

Ms Hankinson said that while the number of searches had fallen, the proportion which resulted in finding unlawful items had increased.

Suspicion of carrying offensive weapons, such as knives, accounted for 865 of its 8,258 searches in 2017, with a quarter leading to an arrest or court summons. A further 162 suspects were searched for firearms, with 24 arrested or charged.

West Yorkshire’s police commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson said “very mixed messages” from the Government had contributed to the declining use of searches.

He said: “Appropriate use of stop-and-search is a really valuable tool for the police in helping to prevent and fight different types of crime. I have worked with the chief constable and West Yorkshire Police to make sure that our officers know it should be an intelligence-led approach which is used proportionately and fairly, something that is now captured and monitored through bodyworn video footage of every stop.”

North Yorkshire, which saw violent crime rise by 10 per cent, has also seen a drop in the number of searches.

Police commissioner Julia Mulligan said the reduction was “to be welcomed as it is a result of more intelligence-led and targeted actions”.

She said: “However, stop-andsearch is an area of business under constant review and I am currently developing ideas to ensure there is independent scrutiny of its use.”

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Police said while stopand-search was a “vital power”, the aims could often be achieved through other means, such as having a conversation with someone or arresting a suspect.

Although publishing the figures is mandatory, Humberside Police was one of a handful of forces to fail to do so. It saw violent crime rise by 21 per cent last year.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: “We have been clear that stop-and-search is a vital policing tool, and officers will always have the Government’s full support to use these powers properly.”