Decline in use of stop and search has gone too far
Many police officers believe strongly that their confidence has been undermined, says the head of the College of Policing.
Monday 1 April 2019 02:05, UK
The devastation caused by the tragic deaths of young people who have been stabbed on our streets is clear.
Our police officers and staff have demonstrated their ongoing professionalism and public service in an attempt to tackle this awful crime.
However, we cannot solve the problem on our own.
Police action like the targeted use of stop and search can make a real difference in disrupting knife crime in the short term.
Its use helps to detect knife crime and can prevent further harm by removing weapons from our streets.
Research has estimated that more than 80% of all arrests for offensive weapons by the Metropolitan Police resulted from a stop and search.
In recent years, however, the use of this power by the police has decreased dramatically due to legitimate concerns over its use and the alienation of young people in local communities.
Many police officers, of all ranks, believe strongly that their confidence has been undermined and the decline in its use has gone too far.
When young people continue to die on our streets, its short-term impact in hotspot areas of crime cannot be ignored.
It is important the police have full confidence to use this power fairly and to good effect.
I have long supported the decision announced by the government on Sunday to allow a swifter response to protecting the public in crisis situations.
The recent financial support for the police response is welcome, but we should not assume that with more resources policing alone can solve this problem.
In the long run, police powers are tools and not a magic wand. Evidence shows that over an extended period, stop and search has only a marginal deterrent effect on violent crime.
Respect, professional public engagement, and careful management of situations where there is potential for conflict are an absolute necessity to avoid the erosion of trust in policing and the perpetuation of knife crime.
To truly solve the problem it is vital that we act on the underlying reasons which can lead to young people using weapons, including neglect and abuse in childhood.
Approaches which include close cross-sector working seem to have played a significant role in violence reduction in Glasgow and have been tested to great effect in America.
These combine the stick of tough enforcement with the carrot of better education, healthcare and access to alternatives to a life of crime. When this type of approach is supported across different partner agencies, joint working can help guide young people towards making the right choices.
There is innovative work already happening across policing to deliver on this aim, and some of the most promising initiatives are being tested now.
I will be sharing this work with others at the prime minister's summit today, in the hope that policing's leadership will drive tangible activity across all sectors.
With the right support and resources, I know that officers and staff will work just as tirelessly to prevent violent crime as they do reacting to it in a time of crisis.
If partners across health, education and local government play their part, we can make a real difference and help prevent more tragic deaths.