Stop and search reforms – Shadow Home Secretary's letter

The website, Politics Home, publishes a letter sent by Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, to Home Secretary, Theresa May, concerning the state of proposals on reforming police use of stop and search powers.

The reforms, which have sparked some disagreement between the Home Secretary and Number 10 according to news reports, are said to be in a state of abeyance. Cooper has written to the Home Sec offering cross party talks as a way out of the impasse.

Cooper, in her letter writes, “This issue is too important to be kicked into the long grass. It goes to the heart of people’s trust in the police and the misuse of stop search has the potential to undermine effective community policing. I hope that you will not give in to the Prime Minister’s opposition to change.”

Cooper cites data published by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary which found that a quarter of all stops and search are illegal. She also cites the impact of the powers on trust in policing among BME communities stating, “Among the proposals I hope we can consider in cross-party talks is action to address the problems for ethnic minority communities – and in particular the fact that young black men are still so frequently stopped and searched by the police without good grounds to do so.