Stop and searches carried out by the Violence Suppression Units

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.022854

I note you seek access to the following information:

Please could you provide me with the number of stop and searches carried out by the Violence Suppression Units since they were set up?

I would like this number broken down by month. I would also like to know what percentage of the Met's total stop and searches these constituted, again by month.

This request should cover the period May 2020 to 17 January 2022. If you don't have figures up to the 17th, please provide for the latest date that you do have. If you can't provide the figures as a percentage of total stop and searches, please omit this.

To assist you with your search please be advised that: "VSU Performance Data is submitted weekly to the Front Line Policing - Violence Reduction Unit, by BCUs... this data [includes] total figures for arrests, seizures, and interventions (which include stop and search figures).

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Please note, the VSU’s went live on 16 May 2020, and so there are no figures for April 2020.

As we do not record percentages, you have been given the total number of MPS stops and searches.