Plans to make Northamptonshire police officers apologise in person if they stop and search someone unreasonably

Details will be given today at a stop and search summit at Wootton Hall today (Tuesday) 12 months on from the public consultation on the matter carried out by Adam Simmonds, the police and crime commissioner.

The force said Supt Andy Cox will talk about plans to give people the option to seek a face-to-face apology from the officer in question if the stop and search grounds were not felt to be reasonable.

There will also be an update on the ‘Reasonable Grounds Panel’ set up to scrutinise the grounds used for stop and search. 
PCC Adam Simmonds will also be unveiling plans for an independent review of stop and search in Northamptonshire to be led by Duwayne Brooks OBE.

Mr Brooks was a friend of Stephen Lawrence and was with him when he was murdered on April 22, 1993.

In 2002, following the MacPherson inquiry into Stephen’s death, the then Mayor of London, Ken Livingston, launched an investigation as to why Duwayne was being stopped so many times without charges being laid.

Since then, Duwayne has sat on numerous scrutiny panels and boards throughout London, having also led on community engagement in local government. He is now a ‘critical friend’ to the Deputy Mayor of London and advisor to the City of London Police on stop and search, Taser and armed response operations.

A police spokeswoman said: “During the review, Duwayne will be inviting people to meet with him to share their experiences, either in a one-to-one meeting or in an online chat forum which will take place early September.

He will also be encouraging people who have been stopped and searched in the last 12 months to take part in a survey and share their views about their experience. They can complete the survey via this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/stopsearch1