Huge rise in Staffordshire Police stop and searches
THOUSANDS more residents suspected of being burglars or car thieves are being stopped and searched by police.
Staffordshire Police have increased the number of people subjected to 'stop and search' measures by more than 70 per cent in a year.
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Police officers carrying out a stop and search.
Senior officers say it is part of a bid to drive down ' serious acquisitive crimes' such as burglary, robbery and car theft.
In July alone, 2,000 people were stopped and searched by police officers – compared to just over 1,000 in the same month last year.
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Black and minority ethnic group residents in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent were twice as likely to be stopped than white people.
New figures show officers stopped and searched 22,631 people between October last year and September.
That compares to a total of 13,223 people a year earlier.
The force recorded 4,144 of the 'serious acquisitive' crimes between April and September last year.
Reports have now fallen, but only marginally to 4,024 over the same six-month period this year.
Jim Gibson, chairman of the Chell Health residents' association, a victim of two burglaries in recent years, said: "If it cuts down on burglaries then it has to be a good thing, but there may come a time when people start to say their rights are being infringed.
"When you come home after a burglary it is absolutely devastating. Anything that can stop that happening I would support.
"The police are very good at coming up with statistics. If they can show that this is working then it is something I would be in favour of."
Critics have questioned why the number of black and minority ethnic group residents being searched is still much higher than white people.
The level of 'disproportionality' has remained at the same level for the last two years.
A total of 2,142 black or ethnic minority residents have been stopped and searched over the last year, compared to 1,383 a year earlier.
Angela Glendenning, of Newcastle, a former trustee of the defunct North Staffordshire Race Equality Council, said: "This was a big issue in central London in the 1960s and it has been recurrent ever since.
"I'm very dismayed that it is still happening. It's unjust and it leads to very negative outcomes.
"There are also other high profile cases where, for instance, a footballer or a politician driving a decent car will be stopped just on the police officers' assumption that someone like them shouldn't be driving it.
"I think it's a question of when will we ever learn."
Nationally, figures show that in some areas black and minority groups are up to 30 times more likely to be stopped and searched.
Police today said their increased use of the powers is part of wider plans to cut crimes across the county and city.
Chief Constable Mike Cunningham, above left, added: "The increase is a result of using targeted intelligence-led stop and search to reduce serious acquisitive crime."
Comments
by Nicky_Davis_
Friday, October 12 2012, 9:23AM
“Personally I think this is good news. I heard of an example similar to this some weeks ago and it actually made me feel safer and less worried about those close to me and people in general, given that the police are out there on the streets making an effort to prevent crime. Certain groups of people may have a higher likelihood of being stopped because they are out at times or in places where criminals are more likely, in which case police presence is reassuring. Or perhaps more controversially they may 'look like' a criminal. But notice Mike Cunningham says this is intelligence led. So think of it this way, if it was known that a crime had been committed and a description of a suspect was available, if the police were not checking on people of that description they wouldn't be doing their job very thoroughly. People have mentioned colour but I don't think stop and searches should generally either target or avoid a certain colour, unless there is reason to do so. For example if there was a spate of bag snatches being perpetrated by a middle aged woman wearing wellington boots in a certain part of town in the late afternoon, then it would make sense for the police to be stopping and questioning people of that description at that time in that area. Provided they treat individuals with respect when they stop and question them it's not a problem, I wouldn't have a problem with being stopped.”
by camband
Thursday, October 11 2012, 9:30PM
“And then stretch your imagination one step further, and picture the two 'Black Cops' -wearing turbans.....
No problem ...just a thought that's all.”
by camband
Thursday, October 11 2012, 9:28PM
“I think I'd be right in supposing that everyone who has read this report -and also those who have bothered to leave a comment on this story have a picture in their head of a White Bobby 'stopping and searching 'White, Brown, and Black' people walking down the street (or in a car).....
So, as there are only a handful of 'Black Bobbys' out there in Staffordshire -the chances of a white person being 'stopped and searched' by a Black Bobby -are pretty low indeed.
But, try and imagine for a moment -a white bloke walking down the street -minding his own business and two Black Cops pull up alongside him -and proceed to 'stop and search' him on suspicion of being involved in some sort of criminal activity......
No problem.... just food for thought that's all.”
by Bobbynewton
Thursday, October 11 2012, 8:00PM
“I am guessing and I am certainly no detective that police stop search people because
1) The description of an offender given at a crime scene bears a resemblance to the person being searched.
2) there has been a crime in the area and the person in question is acting/looks suspicious
3) the police officer knows the person is a criminal
4)Bit of a hunch /boobies nose for a crook
Anyone who thinks that a police officer would search an ethnic minority because he is a racist and then submit the paperwork off which this report is doubtlessly based on is in my opinion a little dim.”
by Huey_Hog
Thursday, October 11 2012, 7:40PM
“Simon 107, according to the CIA World factbook the UK has a white population of 92.1%, 2142 is 9.5% of 22631 which means 90.5% of stoppages where ethnic white therefore 1.6% more non whites were stopped than should have been. As I said before, is that hugely disproportional?”
by egreg
Thursday, October 11 2012, 6:04PM
“Joy Garner and Labour25 http://tinyurl.com/9tul23n”
by muzzer57
Thursday, October 11 2012, 5:10PM
“Thats the first sensible thing LabourLen has said.”
by sausagelord
Thursday, October 11 2012, 4:52PM
“"If you've nowt to hide - you've nowt to fear."
I hate when people say this. It's the same bull**** excuse people use to insist that it's OK to monitor every aspect of our lives that should remain private.
The police have the right to stop and search when there is reasonable suspicion that you are up to no good. This right we should defend to our deaths. When a PC sees someone acting dodgy, they shouldn't have to check this week's "skin colour quota" or ask a list of 20 questions before they stop and search them. If they're stopping someone on a hunch, then so be it.
But with great power comes great responsibility - PC's shouldn't abuse this power. These powers are there to stop crime, not for a bit of fun at the end of the shift when they're on a power trip. PC's who repeatedly stop people for no valid reason should be punished severely for abusing the trust we've given them.”
by WebMonkey1
Thursday, October 11 2012, 4:50PM
“Johntoe, you're missing my point. Stop & Search could be on the increase because there's less resources around to solve crime afterwards.”
by WebMonkey1
Thursday, October 11 2012, 4:49PM
“DOes the report go into how many lego people are stopped and searched? See Piccy above.”