Stop and search in the MPS area from April 2019 to March 2022

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.024257

I note you seek access to the following information:

In your force area, for each of the following years ending 31 March 2020, 31 March 2021 and 31 March 2022 please provide:

1. What was the total number of stop and searches for all reasons, where a more thorough search occurred (PACE code A 3.6)? Please provide data sorted by (self-defined) ethnic group, gender, age and outcome of search.

2. What was the total number of stop and searches for all reasons, where a search involved exposure of intimate parts of the body (‘strip searches’) (PACE Code A 3.7)? Please provide data sorted by (self-defined) ethnic group, gender, age and outcome of search.

3. What was the total number of stop and searches for drugs (section 1 Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and section 23(2) Misuse of Drugs Act 1971), where a more thorough search occurred (PACE code A 3.6)? Please provide data sorted by (self-defined) ethnic group, gender, age and outcome of search.

4. What was the total number of stop and searches for drugs (section 1 Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and section 23(2) Misuse of Drugs Act 1971), where a search involved exposure of intimate parts of the body (PACE Code A 3.7)? Please provide data sorted by (self-defined) ethnic group, gender, age and outcome of search.

I am confident the questions above should not place a burden on public resources or violate the cost restrictions set out in s.12 FOIA 2000 and the s.3 of the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004, as I am asking for data that should be readily available in data gathering software. For the purpose of clarity, I would like to request that any information exempt from disclosure under s.40 FOIA 2000 is shared in an anonymised format. Should information for the latest year ending 31 March 2022 be unavailable please provide the data for the former two years (years ending 31 March 2020 and 31 March 2021).

Decision

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

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Please find a spreadsheet in which the located information has been provided.

CONTEXT
What happened to Child Q was a truly regrettable incident and we accept the findings of the Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review published in March that it should never have happened.

We have apologised publicly to the child, her family and the wider community. We do understand how much concern this incident has caused, and how distressed the girl has been.

We have been working hard to listen to what our communities and partners are telling us about this incident and haven’t waited to look at how we might improve our practices. We have already made changes and continue to work hard to balance the policing need for this type of search with the considerable impact it can have on young people.