Monthly Column: Police and Crime Commissioner John Tizard

Stop and Search is an important tool in policing that must be used proportionately and very carefully. When it is not, trust and confidence in the police can be seriously eroded.

Stop and Search is the police power that allows officers to stop and search people if they have reasonable grounds to suspect they are carrying something illegal.

It is vital that its use is professionally managed, and that every case is reviewed by supervisory officers. Every event should be recorded on body worn video. Officers using this tactic must be trained and their use of it carefully monitored.

There must be public transparency and reviews too. As PCC, I am responsible for the governance and oversight of the independent scrutiny panels which regularly dip sample cases when the power has been used by the police. They view recordings and

scrutinise data and the outcomes of those searches. I hold the Chief Constable to account for the use and regular review of the data.

I am strengthening these panels and aiming in particular to appoint more young people and others who are more representative of the people who are most likely to be stopped and searched.

I am determined to address the disparity in the application of Stop and Search that needs to be addressed.

To strengthen the rights of the people who may be subject to Stop and Search, Bedfordshire Police is constantly reviewing practice and I am holding them to account for making improvements. Introducing a new way of conducting Stop and Search is not necessarily about doing it less frequently. It is about doing it in a fairer way and only when absolutely justifiable. Its use must be proportional and must never discriminate against any community.

The Mayor of London and the Metropolitan Police have introduced a ‘Stop and Search Charter’ to protect the public and ensure greater public confidence. I plan to do something similar in Bedfordshire.

Ultimately, we must strike the right balance between public safety, arresting criminals and maintaining public trust and confidence in the police service.