Met police to halve stop and searches
The Metropolitan Police will halve stop and searches in a bid to improve relations with the black community.
Scotland Yard Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe described random searches as “a real challenge” for the force, amid figures which show more than 90 per cent fail to lead to arrest.
Section 60 orders, which permit random stop and searches across wide areas, are set to be cut by half, the force said.
“The aim is to decrease the number of times senior officers grant authority for stop and searches,” a Met spokesman said.
“It could be that there are just as many stops but they’ll be more effective.”
Chiefs have outlined targets to halve the number of times they fail to find drugs during searches.
In addition, officers want to increase the rate of arrest to 20 per cent from 6 per cent.
Critics say the searches alienate young people in ethnic minority communities, while supporters say the tactic is a deterrent to rising youth violence and teenage murders.