Stop and search powers enhanced to tackle South Yorkshire knife crime

Chief Constable Stephen Watson welcomed the Home Office initiative authorising enhanced stop and search in a pilot also covering six other areas where the issue is a particular problem.

He said: “We are confident it will boost the significantly increased rate of targeted stop and search tactics that are currently being implemented within South Yorkshire.

“While stop and search powers aren’t the panacea to the current issue of knife crime, it remains an important part of the police response and supports our wider work to tackle serious violence.”

The change empowers officers to stop and search anyone in a designated area without needing reasonable grounds for suspicion if serious violence is anticipated.

The seven pilot areas — also including London, West Midlands, Merseyside, West Yorkshire, South Wales and Greater Manchester — account for more than 60 per cent of knife crime nationally.

The changes, which relate to section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act, will run for up to a year and be reviewed in six months.

Prime Minister Theresa May said: “For too long communities in South Yorkshire have suffered the appalling consequences of knife crime. 

“Making sure police across the region have the powers they need to get knives off our streets is one step forward to tackling this violence.”

Representatives from South Yorkshire were due to join other community leaders for a youth violence summit at Downing Street today (Monday).

“The police are on the front line in the battle against serious violence and it’s vital we give them the right tools to do their job.

“Stop and search is a hugely effective power when it comes to disrupting crime, taking weapons of our streets and keeping us safe. 

“That’s why we are making it simpler for police in areas particularly affected by serious violence to use section 60 and increasing the number of officers who can authorise the power.”

Section 60 has previously been used after incidents of serious violence when police fear reprisal attacks.

The power was brought in at last year’s Notting Hall Carnival, where four knives and a corrosive substance were seized. 

It was also deployed by the Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police during an operation outside Stratford station, east London, where officers seized six weapons and made 27 arrests.

He said: “I have met a number of women in particular who have lost children or family members to knife crime and who want stop and search as a deterrent.

“Equally important is getting upstream of crime and preventing young people being drawn into gangs and cultures of violence in the first place. 

“This is longer term work with partners and something South Yorkshire is doing very successfully.

“Above all, we need consistency in policy. 

“It is only a few years since the Home Office was requiring police forces to drastically reduce stop and search, which might now be seen as a mistake.”