Stop and Search charter survey
The Met is seeking the views of Londoners on stop and search through a newly launched survey.
The survey asks questions to Londoners about what they think about stop and search practises to help inform a charter between local communities and the Met.
As part of the New Met for London plan, the Met is resetting its relationship with London’s communities. When done right, stop and search is an effective tool and officers take 4,000 dangerous weapons off our streets every year as a result of this tactic – saving lives.
When done poorly, it can have a detrimental impact on the relationship between the police and local communities – especially those who are disproportionally affected by stop and search.
The 32-question survey is hosted online and focuses on the public’s perception of stop and search, personal experiences of the tactic, training for officers, and what could be done better.
It takes approximately 20 minutes and results will have a lasting impact on how the Met carries out the tactic to better police London.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who leads the project, said: “A key part of our plan to reform the Met is to work closely with our communities, ensuring we police with their consent.
“Stop and search has always been a contentious issue. When used well it saves lives and is important in keeping Londoners safe, helping us identify criminality and take dangerous weapons like knives and firearms off our streets.
“I know some Londoners have a poor experience of stop and search and that has damaged the trust, confidence and co-operation of some communities. That distrust is higher in communities where stop and search powers are used most often, generally where violent crime, driven by a small minority, is highest.
“This is why we are taking the first steps to reset our approach. We want to hear from Londoners and create an agreement between the Met and the public on how we conduct stop and searches in the future.”
Over the past few months teams across the Met have been speaking to a diverse range of people across the city including charities, faith groups and youth groups – having open and frank discussions about stop and search practises.
In addition, neighbourhood policing teams have held hyper-local engagement sessions across their respective boroughs. Some of the key themes to come out of these discussions have included the need for better training for officers, better public education around the tactic, and improvements on how stop and search is recorded and audited for transparency.