Community Scrutiny Panel - Stop Search and Use of Force
Having trust and belief in Cambridgeshire Constabulary is absolutely essential to our communities. In being open and transparent with them on issues such as stop search and the use of force, and showing that we are accountable for our actions, we aim to improve that trust.
Therefore, a community scrutiny panel was established in 2020-2021 to look at both of these issues and gather community feedback and comments on the matters.
About the Panel
The Community Scrutiny Panel meets every month (minus December) scrutinising Stop Search then Use of Force in alternative months with an AGM in March. It is comprised of volunteer community members who live, work or study in Cambridgeshire and are diverse as to age, gender and ethnicity. The Panel rotates venues across the County between Peterborough, Huntingdon and Cambridge and has also recently began to meet online as fourth venue option.
The Community Scrutiny Panel is an independent panel that helps holds the Constabulary to account and maintains its independence by being coordinated by the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner. The members also elect their own Chair and Vice-Chair from their fellow community members to run the meetings on the night.
Panel ratings to date
2023-2024
Stop and Search - 22 reviews at 4 Stop Search Panel meetings between April 2023 - March 2024
|
Rating |
Number |
% |
|---|---|---|
|
Strong |
14 |
75.0 |
|
Equal Split |
2 |
9% |
|
Adequate |
6 |
27% |
|
Weak |
0 |
- |
Use of Force - 23 reviews at 5 Use of Force Panel meetings between April 2023 - March 2024
|
Rating |
Number |
% |
|---|---|---|
|
Strong |
19 |
83% |
|
Adequate |
4 |
17% |
|
Weak |
0 |
- |
2022-2023
Stop and Search - 14 reviews at 4 Stop and Search Panel meetings in 2022-2023
|
Rating |
Number |
% |
|---|---|---|
|
Green / Strong |
10 |
71.4 |
|
Amber / Adequate |
4 |
28.6 |
|
Red / Weak |
0 |
- |
Use of Force - 18 reviews at 5 Use of Force Panel meetings in 2022-2023
|
Rating |
Number |
% |
|---|---|---|
|
Green / Strong |
16 |
88.9 |
|
Amber / Adequate |
1 |
5.6 |
|
Red / Weak |
1 |
5.6 |
2021-2021
Note: The Community Scrutiny Panel, despite being re-established in 2020, only began Panel Meetings for scrutiny purposes mid-way through 2021 post-Covid.
Stop and Search - 13 reviews at 4 Stop and Search Panel meetings in 2021-2022
|
Rating |
Number |
% |
|---|---|---|
|
Green / Strong |
7 |
53.8 |
|
Amber / Adequate |
4 |
30.8 |
|
Red / Weak |
2 |
15.4 |
Use of Force - 5 reviews at 2 Use of Force Panel meetings in 2021-2022
|
Rating |
Number |
% |
|---|---|---|
|
Green / Strong |
4 |
80.0 |
|
Amber / Adequate |
1 |
20.0 |
|
Red / Weak |
0 |
- |
Stop and Search
6 reviews at 1 Stop Search Panel meetings so far since April 2024
| Strong | 5 | 83% |
| Adequate | 1 | 17% |
| Weak | 0 | - |
Use of Force
0 reviews at 0 Use of Force Panel meetings so far since April 2024
| Strong | 0 | - |
| Adequate | 0 | - |
| Weak | 0 | - |
Getting involved
The only requirements are that you live, work or study in Cambridgeshire or have a tie to the County and that your are 16-years-old or above (16-18-years-old may only attend online sessions currently). Past convictions or a criminal record are not an automatic barrier to your participation.
Our aim is to ensure the panel will represent the demographics of the county. Therefore, membership will be reviewed annually to ensure the panel continues to represent the demographic.
If you are interested in joining, please email [email protected]
The joining process involves a chat with the current Chair, you can if you wish come to a panel to try-it out but cannot vote) and then some basic training on the legislation around stop search and use of force which is delivered remotely each month. You may choose to only scrutinise either stop search or use of force but virtually all the members partake in both parts of the panel.
Prior to the meeting the Chair and Vice-Chair is given redacted copy of every Stop Search and Use of Force that occurs within Cambridgeshire allowing the Panel the freedom to select any Stop Search or Use of Force to review. Typically 10 are selected either randomly or with a theme in mind, for example, Mental Health, Young People, or Ethnicity.
Then on the night the Constabulary presents some brief background about the encounter and the grounds for Stop Search or reasoning for Use of Force provided by the officer. The Panel then watches the BWV and discusses the encounter, they look at both the legality and appropriateness of the Stop Search or Use of Force as well as the Officers’ demeanour and communication. The panel then can ask questions of the Constabulary and give comments/feedback, as well as induvial comments on a feedback form. There is then a vote as to the grading to give the Stop Search or Use of Force, with the choices being Good (green), Sufficient (amber) or Weak (red). If an encounter is rated as Weak it can be referred to PSD. The Panel can also refer Community Triggers.
The Constabulary is fully supportive of the Panel and several officers/staff attend including the Strategic Lead and Tactical Lead for Stop Search and Use of Force, as well as the Ethics and Legitimacy Co-Ordinator.
All feedback received from the Panel, either positive or negative, is fed back to the individual officer concerned and their supervisor so they can take necessary learning. It is also fed back into the wider organisation so we can continue to listen to your views and shape our organisation so we can proudly serve our communities in the manner which they expect and deserve.
Below summarises the Constabulary’s response to feedback given by the Independent Community Scrutiny Panel for Stop Search and Use of Force.
TuServ(1)
- GOWISELY(2) box added to ensure GOWISELY given to subjects - Enables monitoring of GOWISELY and allows forces to monitor compliance if necessary.
- Self Defined Ethnicity (SDE) to become a mandatory reporting field - ensure SDE recorded correctly in line with data quality and correct recording.
- Mandated field added to confirm Body Worn Video (BWV) Used - Enables force to monitor compliance.
- Mandated field to be added for supervisors to ensure BWV has been reviewed – improves individual and organisational learning with regular monitoring and policy compliance
- Additional data field added to ‘Authority’ in respect of Section 23 Misuse of Drugs Act searches – identify if search is for simple Possession or Possession with Intent To Supply Controlled Drugs (PWITS)
Body Worn Video (BWV)
- Body Worn Video data storage has been extended from 1 month to 3 months to assist with the Community Scrutiny Panel’s process and scrutiny
- Body Worn Video charging facilities have been put in Airwave lockers after the Panel’s observation that officer’s cameras were either not available due to lack of charge or running out during the encounter. Since these have been implemented BWV is now available in over 97% (on average) of all Stop Searches or Use of Forces.
Training / Organisational Development / Improvement
- Enhanced training on Stop and Search and Use of Force - delivered to frontline teams annually covering topics including: scrutiny processes, disproportionality, good grounds, record keeping, proportionality, safe searching techniques and communication.
- Improved data reporting for both Stop and Search and Use of Force on a monthly basis to the data sub-group for further analysis.
- Training presentation created for onward delivery to new members and to support annual refresher training if required.
- Opportunities for scrutiny group members to volunteer as observers or role actors for student officer Stop Search training sessions.
- Production of Beds, Cambs & Herts (BCH) bitesize Stop and Search training videos for all frontline staff/scrutiny panel members.
- Revised feedback/assessment reporting forms for scrutiny meetings
- Development of an Internal Review Group that dip samples Stop Search TuServ records and BWV each month and will feedback to specific officers and teams as well as note organisational learning
1 The software used by officers to record Stop and Searches
2 A mnemonic reminder for officers covering the minimum information that should be given to a subject being searched under stop search legislation.
Recaps of past meetings
Please find below a link to summary recaps, produced by the Constabulary, of what has occurred at each Community Scrutiny Panel: