Met police to increase stop and search, with announcement coming 'in next couple of months', commissioner says

1 May 2024, 08:59

London's police chief has said that the police are looking to increase stop and search in order to reduce knife crime.

Sir Mark Rowley told LBC's Nick Ferrari that the controversial search tactic "does work" in reducing violent crime.

Responding to a call from a black police officer who is in favour of the tactic, he said that stop and search had "been falling over the last two or three years", with some of that down to "officer confidence".

He added that his officers "fear complaints and the investigation they get and whether they feel supported behind it".

Sir Mark told Nick: "We’re looking at ways to increase our stop and search and we’ll make some announcements on that in the next couple of months".

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Met Commissioner to ramp up Stop and Search

He said that "the most important thing" is that "we have to break the culture of people carrying knives, and part of that has to be a fear of being caught."

Stop and search is controversial because some argue that black people and members of other minority groups are targeted unfairly.

Others point to London's high level of knife crime, and say that stop and search is effective at getting weapons off the streets.

Statistics show that stop and search has dropped 44% in London over the past two years. Knife crime increased 20% in 2023 compared to the year before.

Sir Mark said: "What some people would say to us is though is about how it’s done, so part of us doing more of it will need to include how we do it so that the young people who are stopped and searched don’t feel it’s an unfair process."

'We were on the ground in 12 minutes' says Sir Mark Rowley

He also said he recognised "the disproportionate impact stop and search can have on some communities", adding that it was "vital" that the Met had "the trust and confidence of all Londoners."

London mayor Sadiq Khan has previously said that he supports the police deploying stop and search powers "provided they are used lawfully, proportionately and with professionalism".

Labour mayor Mr Khan also said he recognised "the disproportionate impact stop and search can have on some communities", adding that it was "vital" that the Met had "the trust and confidence of all Londoners."

Conservative policing minister Chris Philp has previously criticised Mr Khan for not encouraging the police

Asked by Nick in January if there was a lack of police confidence in stop and search, Mr Philp said "I think sometimes there is."

He added: "Labour politicians, like Sadiq Khan in particular, don’t give the police the encouragement that they need.]

"Stop and search takes knives off the streets, it protects all communities actually".