Internal Scrutiny and Review Processes - Stop and Search
We are here to serve the public and that’s at the heart of everything we do, therefore, it is important that we as a Constabulary ensure that our powers of stop and search are used fairly and effectively. It is equally important that the community has trust and confidence in how we use our powers of stop and search, thus, it is vital we are open and transparent into what happens after a stop and search and how we hold ourselves to account.
Below you will find information about all the different internal scrutiny and review processes and meetings we have in place around stop and search.
Officer Self-Review
Every time an officer conducts a stop and search the officer is required to record it on their Body Worn Video and on TuServ the software used by Cambridgeshire Constabulary to record the written records concerning stop and searches.
When completing the TuServ record an officer is undertaking a self-review to ensure that there is consistency between what occurred at the scene so is recorded on their Body Worn Video and what they write. They are also ensuring that the reasonable grounds they write would make sense to a reasonable person.
Supervisor Review
The direct supervisor (typically a sergeant) of the officer who conducts the stop and search reviews both the written TuServ record and the Body Worn Video of the stop and search. To ensure accuracy and consistency supervisors are provided training and a guide as to best practice. The supervisors provide direct feedback to their officers on the TuServ record and the wider encounter, such feedback not only focuses on the legality of the stop search but also the manner of communication and quality of the interaction.
Internal Review Group
The Inspector Tactical Lead for Stop and Search and Use of Force chairs the Internal Review Group where a collection of supervisors (predominantly sergeants) and experienced police constables review a dip sample of the stop searches and use of forces. For Stop and Search they review both the written TuServ record and the Body Worn Video footage, and on average review approximately 20-25% of all stop searches to occur. This serves as a check and balance on the individual supervisor’s review. The reviewers provide direct feedback to the officer and their supervisor where needed and the Inspector also provides feedback where there are significant concerns or markedly good practice. In addition, the Inspector generates generalised learning points which are sent to all Supervisors to share with their officers.
Below is a recap of the generalised learning points and meeting discussion from the Internal Review Group.
Superintendent Grounds Review
The Superintendent Force Strategic Lead for Stop and Search and Use of Force also personally reads the written grounds for every single stop and search that occurs within Cambridgeshire – on average 230 per month. The Superintendent provides direct feedback to the officer and their supervisor where there are significant concerns or markedly good practice.
The Superintendent grades the grounds as either strong (green), adequate (amber) or weak (red).
Below is a monthly breakdown of the reviews to date:
2023 - 2024
|
Month |
Apr |
- |
May |
- |
Jun |
- |
Jul |
- |
Aug |
- |
Sept |
- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Data |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
|
Weak |
7 |
3.3 |
3 |
1.4 |
4 |
1.7 |
16 |
6.6 |
21 |
8.2 |
11 |
4.8 |
|
Sufficient |
196 |
91.1 |
203 |
96.2 |
224 |
96.6 |
224 |
91.8 |
226 |
87.9 |
216 |
94.7 |
|
Strong |
12 |
5.6 |
5 |
2.4 |
4 |
1.7 |
4 |
1.6 |
10 |
3.9 |
1 |
0.5 |
|
Total |
215 |
- |
211 |
- |
232 |
- |
244 |
- |
257 |
- |
228 |
- |
2022 - 2023
|
Month |
Apr |
- |
May |
- |
Jun |
- |
Jul |
- |
Aug |
- |
Sept |
- |
Oct |
- |
Nov |
- |
Dec |
- |
Jan |
- |
Feb |
- |
Mar |
- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Data |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
|
Weak |
7 |
2.8 |
13 |
4.7 |
5 |
1.9 |
10 |
3.6 |
8 |
3.5 |
4 |
1.8 |
18 |
6.5 |
16 |
5.6 |
6 |
3.2 |
5 |
2.3 |
11 |
5.3 |
8 |
4.6 |
|
Sufficient |
220 |
87.6 |
240 |
87.9 |
229 |
88.4 |
252 |
90.3 |
209 |
90.5 |
224 |
95.7 |
252 |
91 |
271 |
93.4 |
174 |
94.7 |
194 |
93 |
193 |
93.6 |
161 |
92.5 |
|
Strong |
24 |
9.6 |
20 |
7.4 |
25 |
9.7 |
17 |
6.1 |
14 |
6.0 |
6 |
2.5 |
7 |
2.5 |
3 |
1.0 |
4 |
2.1 |
10 |
4.7 |
2 |
0.9 |
5 |
2.9 |
|
Total |
251 |
- |
273 |
- |
259 |
- |
280 |
- |
231 |
- |
234 |
- |
277 |
- |
290 |
- |
184 |
- |
209 |
- |
206 |
- |
174 |
- |
2021-2022
|
Month |
Nov |
- |
Dec |
- |
Jan |
- |
Feb |
- |
Mar |
- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Data |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
|
Weak |
40 |
14.9 |
30 |
14.8 |
22 |
8.8 |
12 |
6.3 |
9 |
5.4 |
|
Sufficient |
203 |
76.1 |
160 |
79.2 |
207 |
83.6 |
154 |
81.4 |
137 |
82.6 |
|
Strong |
25 |
9.0 |
12 |
6.0 |
19 |
7.6 |
23 |
12.1 |
20 |
12 |
|
Total |
268 |
- |
202 |
- |
248 |
- |
189 |
- |
166 |
- |
*Note the Superintendent grounds review was a new initiative started in November 2021.
In addition, since mid-2023 the Superintendent also reads the written grounds of one stop and search scenario for every single student officer at training school in Cambridgeshire. This allows the student officers to experience the scrutiny process before conducting a real-life stop and search. Equally, it allows the earlier intervention to correct misconceptions as the student officers receive detailed feedback on their attempt at writing grounds.
Strategic Review Meeting
All of the initial meetings and reviews feeds into the monthly Strategic Review Meeting where both Stop Search and Use of Force is discussed commenting on some individual reviews but predominantly moving towards the overarching data, trends and learning points as well as new initiatives and policy changes. In this meeting there is also a specific focus on disproportionality across both policing powers.
Below is a recap of the Stop Search data and discussions from previous Strategic Review Meetings:
Follow these links to read the data and discussions from the Strategic Review Meetings concerning Use of Force and Disproportionality.
Other Meetings, Overview & Outputs
The monitoring, scrutiny and discussion concerning stop search and use of force feeds out of the Strategic meeting to a variety of other meetings and places. This includes laterally to the Ethics, Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Strategic Meeting then onto the Organisational Learning Group; as well as feeding up to the Force Performance Meeting and Force Operations Board.
It equally feeds out externally to HMICFRS (His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary and Fires and Rescue Service) and the Home Office which allows the data to be included in national statistics. As a Constabulary we equally publish the information here on the website in order to be open and transparent. We also do a lot of work internally to promote the data and learning points from having an internal learning hub, to newsletter and monthly top three tips.
As shown on this page we are committed to internal review and scrutiny of stop search, however, internal review is only one half of the scrutiny process we also are committed to being scrutinised by and hearing from the Community. Therefore, we support and facilitate the Community Scrutiny Panel and Community Conversations.