Met Police faces further criticism for stop and search failings

Legitimacy of stop and search continues to be undermined, says police watchdog

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) published findings this week on continuing issues with the use of stop and search powers by the Metropolitan Police - in particular, it concludes that black men are nine times more likely to face its use, and that confidence in black communities is being affected by a perception of discriminatory deployment.

In a year when concerns around institutional bias have been at a historic peak, the report will be unwelcome news to the Met. The IOPC found that a review of cases ''mirrors concerns expressed to us by communities across London.'' The areas identified for improvement in the report fall into five key areas:

• a lack of understanding about the impact of disproportionality;
• poor communication;
• consistent use of force over seeking cooperation;
• the failure to use body-worn video from the outset of contact; and
• continuing to seek further evidence after the initial grounds for the stop and search were unfounded.

The details behind these findings make for uncomfortable reading. In one case, a simple 'fist bump' was seen as grounds to suspect an exchange of drugs, and in others a reported smell of cannabis formed the sole ground for the stop (which, aside from the difficulties of evidencing such a ground, is against police practice).  Further, an inappropriate use of handcuffs was identified by the IOPC in nearly all cases - that is, where it took the view alternative or lesser measures could have been deployed; and in several instances, although the initial search was negative, officers found new grounds to continue the search. A civil claim has now also been filed against the Met by brothers Dijon and Liam Joseph, who were stopped and searched on the basis of the 'fist bump' incident noted above.

The IOPC's report concludes: ''We saw a lack of understanding from officers about why their actions were perceived to be discriminatory. We recommended the [Met] takes steps to ensure that assumptions, stereotypes and bias (conscious or unconscious) are not informing or affecting their officer's decision making on stop and search.'' The Met has accepted all the recommendations in its response to the IOPC, but given that recent statistics have shown a 40% increase in use of the tactic during lockdown (and despite a lower proportion leading to arrests), it remains to be seen when and how improvements will be forthcoming. We also await any further follow on cases such as the claim filed by the Joseph brothers above with great interest - perhaps financial consequences may force changes in behaviour where, to date, public censure does not appear to have had full effect.