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The scale of stop and search

Stopsearch The Police, Powers and Procedures England and Wales 2008/09 statistical bulletin was released by the Home Office this morning, providing an indication of the enormous scale of Section 44: stop and search.

As Amateur Photographer reports:

Police carried out 66% more stops and searches under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act in 2008/2009 than the year before, government figures show today.

Amateur Photographer magazine can reveal that police made 210,013 stops and searches under the controversial anti-terrorism legislation in 2008/2009.

Lord Carlile of Berriew QC (the government's terrorism tsar) said Section 44 is having a 'disproportionately bad effect on community relations'.

'Nothing fills my in-tray and in-box more than complaints on the use of Section 44,' he told the Policy Exchange think-tank. 

This obviously covers the period before the European Court ruling in January that Section 44 was illegal, but does show the extent to which the number of stop and searches had exploded in the period before the ECHR intervention.

GE 2010 Although Lord Carlile has been strong on this issue, the government have remained largely silent since the original ruling. In the Big Brother Watch manifesto released this morning, we explicitly state that there should be no restart for stop and search.

It would be good to see the political parties agree with this sentiment.

By Dylan Sharpe

Posted on April 15, 2010 by Big Brother Watch Posted in Privacy
  • Jimbo

    “no restart for stop and search”
    Does this mean that stop and search has been suspended?

  • Chris Holvor

    As a part-time freelance photographer I am heartily sick of Police and PCSO’s who invoke s44 and try to act like I’m the baddie.There is no law which prevents me taking a photo in a public place save for the interests of national security.Google streetview or google earth provide ideal opportunities for ‘scoping’premises.That any potential terrorist would openly sport a three and a half thousand pound camera and lens and quite openly take pictures of the South Bank for the purpose of terrorism leaves me somewht bemused.I will gladly explain to the Police who I am-show them my credentials and business card -not a PCSO or security guard.As far as being asked to delete pictures -not without a court order -and for the several officers who have made veiled threats of arrest -go on make my day.Photographers especially at Demonstrations are increasingly being threatened with arrest -easy targets….