Stop and search disparities undermine trust in police, says deputy mayor

West Yorkshire Police aims to build trust through community policing

People will "not have trust" in police while there are disparities in stop-and-search, West Yorkshire's deputy mayor for policing and crime has said.

The powers allow officers to search an individual if they suspect they have drugs, a weapon or stolen property.

Younger people and those from ethnic minorities are the most likely to be stopped in this way, police data shows.

Alison Lowe said West Yorkshire Police was actively working to try to address issues around trust.

Ms Lowe said: "The Chief Constable agrees that whilst we have disparities in stop-and-search and use of force, the communities that we are serving will not have trust and confidence in policing."

A group of students from Dixons Trinity Chapeltown took part in a project which involved educational trips and discussions with police and youth workers.

Dixons Trinity Chapeltown pupil Natasha said it was "really nice" to be able to speak to officers freely

"They were like normal people and we could just speak to them freely which was really nice," said Natasha, a pupil at the school.

"They were not in uniform, so it just felt like they were part of the public too, instead of just police officers as we saw them as before."

While the interactions with the officers were positive, some students were left unnerved by the data.

"We looked at statistics of stop and searches and they all seemed to be a pattern which was quite shocking," said Amelia, another student.

"It's not nice to see because I don't want to get stopped and searched one day as people could think I have a knife just because I'm young or because people have had it who look like me."

Amelia reviewed footage and statistics of stop and searches in West Yorkshire

Another way West Yorkshire Police is working to improve relationships is through community policing.

Leeds Community Cohesion Sgt Mark Rothery said it was about being there as a "consistent figure".

"Not just turning up when something bad occurs, which is what people think the police do, but talking to people all the time and being there when they need me," he said.

Sgt Rothery said there was a place for stop and search.

"We know that it does cause some issues but it needs to be done and communicated correctly," he said.

"One of the reasons stop and searches were brought in was to stop arrests instead of just arresting someone straight away."

Sgt Mark Rothery aims to build trust and relationships in Chapeltown

One of Sgt Rothery's duties is to empty knife and gun amnesty bins, which aim to reduce the number of offensive weapons on the streets.

One is outside a youth centre in Chapeltown, which was established by Churches Together in Chapeltown and Harehills.

"The idea was to put the knife bins in prominent places where young people can know that they are there and they can be disposed of safely," District Bishop Tony Parry said.

He said some knives carried by young people were too large for the bin.

"But for the ones that can [fit], I really believe that one knife in the bin could mean one life saved," he said.

Sgt Rothery said seeing the size and nature of the weapons was not a shock.

"It's hard being a young person these days, probably more challenging than ever," he said.

"For me it's about being me, Mark, and showing that caring side.

"You've got to keep going, you can't give up on them and eventually I think they will trust me."

Almost 10,000 people were stopped and searched in West Yorkshire between July 2023 and December 2023 - and around a third of those were aged between 10 and 25, according to police data.

The number of people from minority ethnic backgrounds stopped was also significantly higher than those who were white based on population size.

West Yorkshire Police said stop and search was an "effective crime preventional tool".

"However, the use of stop-search has been controversial over the years and we are very mindful of maintaining trust and confidence in our communities," said T/Det Ch Supt Paula Bickerdike.

She said the launch of the five-year Police Race Action plan in 2023 was to develop a "range of actions" to deliver a service which was "anti-racist and trusted by black people".

"Actions include explaining or reforming the racial disparity in use of police powers, such as stop and search," she added.