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Title of meeting: Bedfordshire Community Stop Search Scrutiny Panel
Date: Thursday 14 June 2018
Time: 6.30pm
Venue: Tokko, Gordon Street, Luton
Attendees: Chair Montell Neufville, (MN Kimberley Lamb VC, Kathryn Holloway Police Crime Commissioner , Ch Insp Hob Hoque, Members Tony Boatswain, Sam Cutler, Peju Akintomide, Julia Inmon, Elice Vincent, Hayley Miller, Anita Powell, , Beccy Donaldson, Florentin Rama , Grace Foster, Kelly Sholzigbade, Usman Ahmed, Lorraine Parkinson, , Andre Peterkin, Patsy Ferguson, Bipin Raja, Shahida Ali, Teresa Pike, Staff Sgt Steve Mosley Insp Ashton Miranda, Insp Jakki Dadd, Kevin Vanderpool (KV) PCCs Office, PC Beccy Donaldson
Key MN: Montell Neufville, KL: Kimberley Lamb, KV: Kevin Vandepool, SM: SGT Steve Mosley, , HH: C Insp Hob Hoque, Member of the public ;MOP AM: Inspector Ashton Miranda
Montell welcomes everyone to the meeting. The panel members introduce themselves.
The previous minutes were discussed.
Inspector Ashton Miranda (AM) explained the role of sergeants in checking videos and receipt forms. MN and KL explained that either this did not appear to be always happening. It was difficult to judge if it was a fair and effective stop and search. Action Point HH to speak to supervisors internally.
In previous meetings disproportionality rates had increased to 4:1 mixed race. As this was seen to be high by the panel in September the panel had asked for an investigation to allay concerns that the powers were being used correctly.
A report was not made to the December meeting and at this meeting the Black stop and searches disproportionality rate up to September was 4:1 This too was considered warranting investigation. The panel asked for a report for both sets for the next meeting.
At the March meeting no figures were provided as the panel was advised that of the investigations were not completed
At this June meeting the disproportionality report was still not provided. MN asked for the disappointment in this to be formally noted in the minutes.
Item 8 on the agenda was brought forward and KV gave a presentation on the figures.
MN expressed disappointment that the report contained some flaws. , Specifically MN the chair was unhappy with the following;
The panel engaged in a table top exercise:
Each table was given a bag of marbles. There were 20 in each bag. 20% of the marbles overall were red and 80% other colours. The tables were asked to select 20% of the marbles and told that reds are “More likely to be selected”. Overall in total 50% of the marbles selected were red. MN explains this is how disproportionality occurs through unconscious bias. People were told a colour, in this case red and the seed was implanted in their minds. The analogy to stop and search is when reports and a culture states that “black people are more likely to be stopped and searched” this leads to unconscious bias.
The next exercise was a word crossword to invite participants to understand what GOWISELY and Necessary stood for. Grounds, Objective, Warrant card, Identity, Station, Entitled, Legal, You
A member expressed that he thought police officers stopped and searched based on appearance. It was noted that this could be his experiences but the practice was against the code of practice.
Graded as Amber by the panel
Key points noted
Graded as Red by the panel
Key points noted
The panel can look at any complaints made against police in relation to a stop and search.
Police can increase stop searches in a certain area if they think it is necessary in a 12 hour period, under Sec 60 powers.
Section 60 authorisations need to be notified to the panel .No section 60 authorisations have been made in the past year
Complaints relating to stop and search need to be advised to the panel. No complaints have been notified to the panel in the past year. The chair was concerned that there were two complaints and they were not fed into the panel. This is an urgent action that needed to be investigated.
There were three suggestions to promote the panels work
Panel members were invited to apply to go on a ‘ride along scheme’ with Beds Police officers. The ‘ride along’ may not involve a stop search if it is not necessary for one to be made. There is a waiting list, however Community Scrutiny panel members get priority.
MN talks about feedback that he has received from people who have been on the ‘ride along scheme’ as a positive and informative exercise and also offers further training at the end of June.
New youth IAG discussed with similar connotations around the ways to recruit young people. Suggested that role play exercises in schools could help give kids an idea of a good/ bad stop and search procedure.
Request to be made to provide positive outcome rates, broken down by ethnicity. Completed by sergeant SM
Expenses claim forms can be completed to reimburse travel, parking etc for attending this meeting.
The next meeting will be 4 September at Project 229, Bedford