Stop and Search, Receipt and Record

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.21.022433

I note you seek access to the following information:

We are a fundamental sub-group of the research project MEDIAN; whereby our goal is to gather cross-international data pertaining to the requirement for Police Departments to issue ‘stop and search, receipt and record’ when performing a routine ‘stop and search' procedure.

We therefore kindly request information as to whether or not your Police Department is required to issue such receipts, and if they are issued only in particular circumstances, which parameters determine these circumstances. In addition, we are interested in determining what information is contained within the receipt. If there is a copy available, we would greatly appreciate the opportunity to peruse the document.

Furthermore, we are deeply understanding of the overworked nature of Police Departments and therefore appreciate any correspondence relating to the aforementioned information. Without the cooperation of international Police Departments, the MEDIAN project would not be successful in its endeavour.

Thank-you for your time and we look forward to your response.

Decision

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

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

I have attach a copy of an ‘example’ of one of our old paper stop and search records. This has been completed with fictitious data.

A newer, more recent version is included. It is our form 5090. We have various types of forms in circulation. As you can appreciate it is very difficult to change the form in one go across such a huge organisation.

Our officers are required to document every ‘stop and search’ encounter that takes place prior to arrest.

That documentation can take place at the scene of the stop and search and the person searched can access an immediately copy there and then, as long as the officer is not ‘required elsewhere’. They are informed at the time of the search that they are entitled to a copy of the record of the search at that time OR any time within three months from the date and time of that search.

Whether a copy has been produced at the time or not the officer is STILL required to
complete a computer entry on one of our databases detailing all of the information contained within this written search record. That computer record is, or course, standardised across the MPS.
We are trying to move to an electronic system whereby people who are stopped can access their record by email. That process is long and drawn out but will be resolved hopefully in 2022.
You will see from the example form attached that the information contains:

Family Name: People being searched are not legally obliged to give their name in ordinary circumstances. In that situation officers are required to provide a description of the person searched.
First Name, Gender and Date of Birth follow. Then comes Apparent Age. This is the officer’s estimate as to their age.
EA is then listed. This stands for Ethnic Appearance and is a basic six code 0-6 police reference for the person’s ethnicity. EA codes attachment is included within the pictures attached.
SDE is short for SELF DEFINED ETHNICITTY. This is an opportunity for the person stopped to define how they see themselves ethnically. M1 is listed here. A list of the codes can be seen in the pictures attached.

Vehicle TYPE and VRM are next and they relate to vehicles as we have powers to search vehicles in certain circumstances. The type of vehicle and the vehicle registration mark should be recorded.
Then we have the search grounds. This should contain an evidenced based rationale where the ‘suspicion’ has been derived from.
Then comes the date and time of the search and the location of the search to include the borough geographical codes as referred to within the MPS. We are able to search people stopped ‘nearby’ to assist with practicalities depending on the complexities of the search and the range of the search.
What then follow is OBJECT or Search code. That relates to a reason for the search and a copy of those codes can be seen attached.

Then follows ‘outcome’. This will be a number that denotes how the matter concluded. Whether arrested, cautioned, no further action etc. You will see a copy of those codes attached.

Then the searching officer’s details are included.
The reverse of the form includes details of the duplicated computer entry so that the stop can be supervised. Then we have ‘other officers present’ as searching rarely takes place alone. On some of our forms the supervisor has a space to sign the written form but now we ask our supervisors to supervise the computer record within 72hrs. This is monitored weekly.
ALL of our stop and searches are to be recorded on body worn video. We have a 98% success rate here this year. That has led to significantly fewer complaints and also complaints that can be resolved far quicker.

A copy of our ‘stop and search’ pad is attached, that officers can complete by hand. That is the yellow form called a 5090.
The small book, the 5090A, is what officers will give people requesting a copy of their search if the search has been documented directly on to one of their hand held devices. The 5090A has extensive information on the two small forms that they are given.
The body worn video reference is attached to the computer data entry.
Every one of our 32 boroughs has a community monitoring group that meet regularly. They will dip sample random stop and searches and detail their observations. Should be fed back into their local community to reassure and allay the community of any concerns.