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Stop and search is a police power that aims to protect the public, tackle crime and keep the streets safe. In the last 12 months, police officers have carried out 2902 stop and searches. This compares to 2971 stop and searches in the 12 months ending December 2021.
Full details of all stop and searches carried out by Cambridgeshire Constabulary are published internally each month. This data can then be reviewed to ensure that the use of stop and search powers is both reasonable and fair, and to identify areas of learning. Data is also published externally each month on police.uk
Bar chart shows the year on year comparison for number of stop searches, year ending December 2022. Data found in table below.
Bar chart image data can be found in the following table:
Number of stop searches | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Last year | 358 | 265 | 287 | 233 | 220 | 248 | 180 | 205 | 243 | 263 | 267 | 202 |
This year | 249 | 189 | 167 | 251 | 273 | 259 | 280 | 231 | 234 | 277 | 290 | 184 |
- | Jan-22 | Feb-22 | Mar-22 | Apr-22 | May-22 | Jun-22 | Jul-22 | Aug-22 | Sep-22 | Oct-22 | Nov-22 | Dec-22 | R12 months | |
Person search | 184 | 141 | 119 | 215 | 215 | 203 | 225 | 187 | 185 | 222 | 217 | 128 | 2,241 | 77.7% |
Person and Vehicle search | 48 | 38 | 36 | 27 | 41 | 39 | 39 | 37 | 40 | 44 | 66 | 52 | 507 | 17.6% |
Vehicle search | 17 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 136 | 4.7% |
Total | 249 | 189 | 167 | 251 | 273 | 259 | 280 | 231 | 234 | 277 | 290 | 184 | 2,902 |
Police officers must have a good reason for stopping and searching someone, therefore they are required to record the grounds for the stop and search in full to ensure that it stands up to both internal and external scrutiny.
Police can stop and search someone if
- They think someone is carrying a weapon, drugs, stolen property or offensive items to commit criminal damage
- There has been serious violence or disorder in the vicinity
- It is part of anti-terrorism efforts
67.5% of all stop searches in the last 12 months were drugs related. A further 16.3% of stop and searches were on suspicion that the person was carrying a weapon. Ongoing monitoring of this data allows the Constabulary to better understand how stop and search activity aligns with local and force priorities.
- | Jan-22 | Feb-22 | Mar-22 | Apr-22 | May-22 | Jun-22 | Jul-22 | Aug-22 | Sep-22 | Oct-22 | Nov-22 | Dec-22 | R12 months | |
Criminal Damage | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 29 | 1.0% |
Drugs | 177 | 136 | 106 | 154 | 204 | 185 | 186 | 140 | 139 | 195 | 199 | 127 | 1,948 | 67.5% |
Firearms | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 0.7% |
Going equipped | 38 | 15 | 27 | 35 | 14 | 16 | 27 | 27 | 42 | 24 | 35 | 15 | 315 | 10.9% |
Offensive weapons | 21 | 33 | 27 | 50 | 40 | 37 | 44 | 55 | 42 | 51 | 38 | 31 | 469 | 16.3% |
Psychoactive substances | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0.5% |
Stolen property | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 5 | 67 | 2.3% |
Terrorism | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
Violence | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0.3% |
Other reason | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 0.5% |
Total | 249 | 189 | 167 | 251 | 273 | 259 | 280 | 231 | 234 | 277 | 290 | 184 | 2,884 | - |
Police officers should record the gender, age and ethnicity of every person who is stopped and searched. This information is key to being able to monitor disproportionality and to take appropriate action where necessary.
The Constabulary has historically used census information to better understand if any groups are disproportionately represented. However, a new approach has been recently adopted whereby the profile of people stopped and searched is also compared to the profile of suspects on crimes committed in our force area; this is likely to be a better representation of the people who come into contact with the police.
GENDER | Jan-22 | Feb-22 | Mar-22 | Apr-22 | May-22 | Jun-22 | Jul-22 | Aug-22 | Sep-22 | Oct-22 | Nov-22 | Dec-22 | R12 months | |
Male | 199 | 158 | 139 | 219 | 229 | 218 | 236 | 208 | 205 | 246 | 247 | 157 | 2,461 | 89.6% |
Female | 32 | 21 | 16 | 23 | 27 | 24 | 28 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 36 | 23 | 284 | 10.3% |
Not stated | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.1% |
Total | 232 | 179 | 155 | 242 | 256 | 242 | 264 | 224 | 225 | 266 | 283 | 180 | 2,748 | - |
AGE | Jan-22 | Feb-22 | Mar-22 | Apr-22 | May-22 | Jun-22 | Jul-22 | Aug-22 | Sep-22 | Oct-22 | Nov-22 | Dec-22 | R12 months | |
10-14 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 23 | 17 | 9 | 14 | 19 | 11 | 20 | 20 | 10 | 155 | 5.6% |
15-17 | 28 | 33 | 25 | 39 | 68 | 30 | 40 | 36 | 38 | 58 | 40 | 29 | 464 | 16.9% |
18-25 | 71 | 55 | 49 | 85 | 89 | 102 | 89 | 72 | 81 | 91 | 109 | 63 | 956 | 34.8% |
26-35 | 61 | 37 | 34 | 42 | 42 | 43 | 50 | 49 | 37 | 45 | 52 | 44 | 536 | 19.5% |
36-45 | 28 | 34 | 25 | 26 | 19 | 30 | 35 | 18 | 28 | 16 | 24 | 10 | 293 | 10.7% |
46-55 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 129 | 4.7% |
56-65 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 25 | 0.9% |
Over 65 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0.1% |
Age not stated | 19 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 21 | 17 | 187 | 6.8% |
Total | 232 | 179 | 155 | 242 | 256 | 242 | 264 | 224 | 225 | 266 | 283 | 180 | 2,748 | - |
ETHNICITY | Jan-22 | Feb-22 | Mar-22 | Apr-22 | May-22 | Jun-22 | Jul-22 | Aug-22 | Sep-22 | Oct-22 | Nov-22 | Dec-22 | R12 months | |
Asian | 19 | 12 | 5 | 18 | 23 | 22 | 32 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 13 | 224 | 8.2% |
Black | 14 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 24 | 9 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 8 | 169 | 6.1% |
Mixed | 11 | 10 | 3 | 12 | 17 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 5 | 10 | 13 | 6 | 117 | 4.3% |
Other | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 48 | 1.7% |
White | 146 | 120 | 110 | 160 | 176 | 142 | 149 | 148 | 148 | 179 | 195 | 118 | 1,791 | 65.2% |
Not stated | 40 | 20 | 24 | 36 | 23 | 40 | 48 | 33 | 34 | 32 | 38 | 31 | 399 | 14.5% |
Total | 232 | 179 | 155 | 242 | 256 | 242 | 264 | 224 | 225 | 266 | 283 | 180 | 2,748 | - |
In 34% of stop and searches over the last 12 months, the articles found by officers were linked to the reason for the search. A further 6.5% of search and searches resulted in other unrelated articles being found; however in 59% of cases nothing was found.
Data published monthly allows the Constabulary to monitor how find rates vary across the different types of searches. The collection of demographic data further enables the Constabulary to monitor the extent to which find rates vary between people from different ethnic groups, highlighting potential areas of disproportionality.
- | Jan-22 | Feb-22 | Mar-22 | Apr-22 | May-22 | Jun-22 | Jul-22 | Aug-22 | Sep-22 | Oct-22 | Nov-22 | Dec-22 | R12 months | |
Article found - linked | 61 | 67 | 46 | 76 | 112 | 89 | 99 | 65 | 101 | 101 | 104 | 73 | 994 | 34.5% |
Article found - not linked | 22 | 11 | 10 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 12 | 6 | 187 | 6.5% |
Nothing found | 166 | 111 | 111 | 157 | 146 | 155 | 161 | 149 | 113 | 155 | 174 | 105 | 1,703 | 59.0% |
Total | 249 | 189 | 167 | 251 | 273 | 259 | 280 | 231 | 234 | 277 | 290 | 184 | 2,884 |
Bar chart shows the year on year comparison for number of stop search find rates, year ending December 2022. Data found in table below.
- | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Last year | 33.8% | 30.2% | 30.7% | 33.0% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 39.4% | 37.1% | 42.4% | 42.2% | 37.8% | 37.6% |
This year | 33.3% | 41.3% | 33.5% | 37.5% | 46.5% | 40.2% | 42.5% | 35.5% | 51.7% | 44.0% | 40.0% | 42.9% |
37% of stop and searches in the last 12 months led to a positive outcome: this included 534 arrests (both related and unrelated to the stop) and 338 community resolutions.
However, 60% led to no further action being taken. Work to better understand this is ongoing.
- | Jan-22 | Feb-22 | Mar-22 | Apr-22 | May-22 | Jun-22 | Jul-22 | Aug-22 | Sep-22 | Oct-22 | Nov-22 | Dec-22 | R12 months | |
Arrested | 42 | 39 | 40 | 50 | 54 | 43 | 54 | 47 | 44 | 47 | 45 | 29 | 534 | 18.5% |
Caution | 6 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 2 | 96 | 3.3% |
Community Resolution | 23 | 26 | 8 | 20 | 41 | 29 | 25 | 23 | 34 | 37 | 45 | 27 | 338 | 11.7% |
Formal warning for cannabis | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0.5% |
Fixed penalty notice for disorder | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
Khat (cannabis) warning | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
Report for summons | 5 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 4 | 99 | 3.4% |
Suspected psychoactive substance seized | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
All positive outcomes | 77 | 74 | 58 | 84 | 121 | 96 | 101 | 82 | 102 | 110 | 113 | 62 | 1,080 | 37.4% |
Other | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 79 | 2.7% |
No further action | 172 | 114 | 109 | 162 | 142 | 156 | 168 | 145 | 118 | 158 | 177 | 104 | 1,725 | 59.8% |
Total | 249 | 189 | 167 | 251 | 273 | 259 | 280 | 231 | 234 | 277 | 290 | 184 | 2,884 | - |