Stop and Search Engagement Programme

This decision seeks approval for the stop and search engagement programme. Given the significant increase in stop and search over the past two years, the time is right to ensure that those communities and demographics most likely to face stop and search are sufficiently aware of why such action is necessary to prevent and detect crime, of their rights and how to make a complaint; and of the community-based scrutiny of the actions of the police.

The programme aims to develop our approach to community scrutiny of stop and search by increasing transparency, awareness and accountability, with a fundamental focus on improving police and community relationships. The outcome of this work will inform how best to improve stop and search scrutiny and monitoring across London.

This engagement programme has been informed by discussions and feedback from the Violence Reduction Unit, the Greater London Authority and the Metropolitan Police Service. In addition, members of the GLA Peer Outreach Team are also directly engaged in aspects of the programme.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to approve the following activities within this programme of work to be delivered within the overall budget of £95,000:

• Provide ongoing support to the London-wide Stop & Search Youth Reference Group.

• Commission a series of focus groups with communities / demographics most likely to experience stop and search, to understand current levels of awareness of existing stop and search scrutiny mechanisms and how those most affected by stop and search can be better involved in them.

• Host a community engagement conference for young people in November 2019 focussed on community-police engagement and further development of existing stop and search monitoring mechanisms.

• Commission a training provider to produce a refreshed training package for new and existing Community Monitoring Group members.

• Work to increase transparency including procurement and distribution of ‘Know Your Right’s leaflets.

1. Introduction and background

1.1. Stop and search Community Monitoring Groups (CMGs) were borne out of the Macpherson Inquiry, which in addition to the recording provisions, established the need for Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services and police authority oversight of stop/search records. The subsequent Metropolitan Police Authority stop and search scrutiny established the principle of borough-level CMGs to provide local community oversight using volunteer members of the community.

1.2. CMGs have a role in monitoring a range of local stop and search matters, including the numbers of stops, arrest rates, disproportionality, complaints and body worn video. They also work to identify and share best practice with other CMGs, particularly through their membership of the Community Monitoring Network (CMN).

1.3. Given the significant increase in the use of stop and search powers in London over the past two years, the time is right for City Hall to ensure that those communities most likely to face stop and search are sufficiently aware of why such action is necessary to prevent and detect crime, of their rights, how to make a complaint and of the community-based scrutiny of the actions of the police.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. Ensuring that members of the public have confidence in the scrutiny structure that oversees stop and search is important to the Mayor, and to the success of multiple programmes of work being undertaken across City Hall, including within the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), the London Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and the Greater London Authority (GLA).

2.2. With the rate of stop and search increasing and a keen public interest in the use of the tactic, ensuring that there is an appropriate level of scrutiny is vital for reassurance and legitimacy. There are a range of actions that MOPAC, the VRU and the GLA can take in the immediate and longer term to address these issues and as such we have initiated a broader engagement programme.

2.3. This programme of work aims to develop our approach to community scrutiny of stop and search by increasing transparency, accessibility, accountability, and representation from the most affected communities, with a fundamental focus on improving police and community relationships. The outcome of this work will inform how best to improve stop and search scrutiny and monitoring across London.

2.4. To improve transparency MOPAC will:

• Make it easier for members of the public to contact their local Community Monitoring Group.

• Publish details of the important work and stop and search information online.

• Create a Youth Reference Group to develop the programme with a community focus.

2.5. To improve representation and involvement, MOPAC will conduct detailed focus groups and analyse data to gain further understanding from across London focusing on those predominately affected by stop and search, and present this at a London wide conference in late Autumn 2019.

2.6. To improve accountability MOPAC will provide extended training to new and existing members of Community Monitoring Groups to improve on their stop and search and scrutiny knowledge and ensure they are equipped to hold the police to account at the borough level.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. The total budget requirement for this work totals £95,000. The programme will be funded from within the strategy budget (MOPAC decisions: PCD 582 - £60,000; and PCD 401 - £35,000).

4. Legal Comments

4.1. The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) is a contracting authority as defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (the Regulations). Awards of public contracts for goods and/or services valued at £181,302 or above must be procured in accordance with the Regulations.

4.2. Paragraph 4.13 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) has delegated authority to approve the procurement strategy for all revenue and capital contracts of a total value of £500,000 or above. This Decision is taken on behalf of all members of City Hall (MOPAC, VRU and GLA) by the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime on the basis that it is potentially novel and/or contentious.

5. Commercial Issues

5.1. Both the identification of the engagement organisation and training provider to support the development of a new training package for volunteers will be subject to a fair and competitive process.

5.2. Officers must comply with the GLA Responsible Procurement Policy and MOPAC’s Contracts Regulations and Scheme of Delegation in the award of this contract.

6. Public Health Approach

6.1. This proposal focuses on working with and for communities so scrutiny mechanisms can reflect their lived experiences and practical recommendations can be developed and explored which in turn improves community relations through increased confidence in the police. This engagement programme has been informed by discussions and feedback from the Violence Reduction Unit, the Greater London Authority and the Metropolitan Police Service. In addition, members of the GLA Peer Outreach Team are also directly engaged in aspects of the programme.

7. GDPR and Data Privacy

7.1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.

7.2. GDPR matters have been discussed with the Data Protection Officer, who has confirmed that no Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is required for these programmes of work. However, the personal details of any individuals or organisations with whom contact is made for the purposes of the engagement will be managed in accordance with MOPAC’s wider Privacy Notice. Any organisation that is contracted to conduct work in support of this programme will be required to sign a MOPAC contract that will specify their GDPR responsibilities.

8. Equality Comments

8.1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

8.2. An Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) has been completed which evidences those disproportionately affected by stop and search.

9. Background/supporting papers

9.1. A summary of each project within this programme.