Get involved in improving stop and search
We do not underestimate the impact stop and search has on communities and individuals. We know that to maintain public confidence in its use, the power must be used in a correct and effective manner.
Community engagement
It's important to understand the impact stop and search has on communities and individuals. We do this through community engagement, scrutiny and community accountability.
Measuring the effect of stop and search
We publish stop and search data regularly so that we can be transparent about how stop and search is used, what is monitored and what is recorded. View our stop and search data.
How to get involved
Ride Along Scheme
The ride-along scheme offers members of the public the opportunity to accompany our officers on patrol and experience first hand how stop and search may be used. The scheme enables two-way learning and helps create greater understanding and closeness between the police and the public.
To participate in the scheme you must:
- be aged 18 years or above
- agree to us conducting a background check on you
- sign an indemnity form
To apply, use our ride-along scheme application form.
If you are aged between 13-15, our police cadets programme offers the chance to get involved with policing.
Independent Scrutiny Panel
Northumbria Police has an established external scrutiny panel led by the OPCC (Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner), which is independently chaired. The aim of the panel is to review and provide feedback on the use of stop and search, while improving and maintaining the public’s trust and confidence in the force.
The panel meet quarterly to identify issues, common themes and trends, with particular focus being on police decision making and its impact on diverse and vulnerable communities through the scrutiny of performance data and body worn video (BWV).
By being open and transparent with scrutiny panels, best practice can be identified and trust and confidence in policing improved. The force also continues to work with the Strategic Independent Advisory Group (SIAG) on matters relating to stop and search, to understand the impact of activity on the communities within the Northumbria Police area.
All stop and searches are reviewed by a supervisor to ensure they are undertaken lawfully, proportionately and in line with training, with learning fed back directly to officers. This ensures appropriate measures are taken to address and improve performance with the officer and the review of stop and search forms part of the force’s performance management framework.
Each of our three Area Commands has experienced Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) who scrutinise and quality assure each stop and search conducted. The number of SPOCs is being increased to enable timely scrutiny of records and standardisation sessions are held to ensure consistency in stop and searches across the force.
The force has an internal scrutiny panel that meets bi-monthly and reviews performance data and BWV to identify forcewide learning. This scrutiny identifies trends, such as those people who are repeatedly subject to stop and search, to ensure that there is no targeting of a particular individual and that all searches are fully compliant and meet the required standard. Likewise, it also ensures that those searches relating to possession of drugs are used proportionately and in line with local and force priorities.
We have also developed an improvement plan, which tracks the actions being taken and incorporates feedback from both internal and external scrutiny panels.