Police stop and search Scots 9 times more than New York

[The Moonster]

http://rt.com/uk/174384-scottish-police-stop-seach/

The Scottish Police Authority carried out a report which found that Scottish police carry out 9 times more stop and searches than police in New York. This was left out of the report as it was deemed an irrelevant fact but the report did acknowledge it's comparison with London police where Scottish police carry out three times as many stop and searches.

Figures show a 400% rise in searches in some parts, including Fife (shock! horror!) and also the number of children under the age of criminality being searched illegally has seen a spike. A total of 250,000 hours of police time is taken up carrying out searches in Scotland

Here's a link to the report - http://www.spa.police.uk/assets/126884/230479/scrutinytaskgroupreport

A quick look at the recommendations and you'll see that they're looking at "targeting the right people at the right time" to change these stats. I'd like to know what criteria someone would need to meet to be deemed the right target and what a good time would be.

In Dumbarton, me and my friends have been searched (one of my friends is certainly targeted) on numerous occasions for the simple crime of walking out of a close. "Where have you been tonight?", "Just in our mates house", "cool, we're just going to give you a wee search, okay?". My mate mentioned above has been caught with a small amount of cannabis (less than £10 worth) in the past, as have I and I can't help but think that as soon as we're recognised by the police they see it as a quick couple of £75 (at least) fines. It seems as well that the police don't even really need a reason, they just have to be suspicious that you're up to/hiding something, which if they've caught us with cannabis once would give them reason to think we've got it again. I think that's bullshit.

So aye, my whinging aside, oor cops love to give a good frisking, is this the right way of doing things or is it a quick money making exercise?

[young_bairn]

This isn't going to go well for you.

[cracowjambo]

http://rt.com/uk/174384-scottish-police-stop-seach/

The Scottish Police Authority carried out a report which found that Scottish police carry out 9 times more stop and searches than police in New York. This was left out of the report as it was deemed an irrelevant fact but the report did acknowledge it's comparison with London police where Scottish police carry out three times as many stop and searches.

Figures show a 400% rise in searches in some parts, including Fife (shock! horror!) and also the number of children under the age of criminality being searched illegally has seen a spike. A total of 250,000 hours of police time is taken up carrying out searches in Scotland

Here's a link to the report - http://www.spa.police.uk/assets/126884/230479/scrutinytaskgroupreport

A quick look at the recommendations and you'll see that they're looking at "targeting the right people at the right time" to change these stats. I'd like to know what criteria someone would need to meet to be deemed the right target and what a good time would be.

In Dumbarton, me and my friends have been searched (one of my friends is certainly targeted) on numerous occasions for the simple crime of walking out of a close. "Where have you been tonight?", "Just in our mates house", "cool, we're just going to give you a wee search, okay?". My mate mentioned above has been caught with a small amount of cannabis (less than £10 worth) in the past, as have I and I can't help but think that as soon as we're recognised by the police they see it as a quick couple of £75 (at least) fines. It seems as well that the police don't even really need a reason, they just have to be suspicious that you're up to/hiding something, which if they've caught us with cannabis once would give them reason to think we've got it again. I think that's bullshit.

So aye, my whinging aside, oor cops love to give a good frisking, is this the right way of doing things or is it a quick money making exercise?

They should only search OF fans

[The Moonster]

This isn't going to go well for you.

How so? I suppose I am stirring it up a bit but I know there are police on here and I'd genuinely like their view of the report and if they think they carry out too many/just the right amount/not enough searches, also if they think that's the best way to police things.

[Ross.]

We wouldn't need stop and search If your mates weren't carrying drugs from house to house in whatever shithole you live in.

They could always decriminalise drugs and then have no need to search them in the first place.

[DA Baracus]

This isn't going to go well for you.

How so? I suppose I am stirring it up a bit but I know there are police on here and I'd genuinely like their view of the report and if they think they carry out too many/just the right amount/not enough searches, also if they think that's the best way to police things.

Because the usual arseholes will just derail the thread with petty point scoring.

We wouldn't need stop and search If your mates weren't carrying drugs from house to house in whatever shithole you live in.

[The Moonster]

We wouldn't need stop and search If your mates weren't carrying drugs from house to house in whatever shithole you live in.

Well, we wouldn't need stop and search if we didn't have such ridiculous drug laws but I don't really want to go down that route. The topic is about whether or not the police search too many people. In comparison with other police forces they do but is that too much or are other police forces not doing enough? I only gave me and my mates as an example to show that at times the criteria/reason for stopping and searching someone is sometimes flimsy at best.

[ICTChris]

Police and thieves in the streets
Oh yeah!
Scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition
Police and thieves in the street
Oh yeah!
Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition

[The Moonster]

You and your friends obviously looked suspicious and the police were correct as you had drugs on you. They'll now know you are drug users and are likely to stop and search you again in future.

If you've nothing to hide and carrying nothing illegal then it wouldn't be an issue.

That's exactly what my point is, what made us suspicious to the police, coming out of a friends house? Is that really all that's required for a search? It seems like the police could say that about just about anyone.

So, your stance indicates you'd be happy to be searched every time you walked out the house as the police thought you looked a bit suspicious, despite you carrying nothing illegal?

You do understand that because we were caught with drugs once it doesn't mean we are constantly walking around with drugs on us?

[NotThePars]

You and your friends obviously looked suspicious and the police were correct as you had drugs on you. They'll now know you are drug users and are likely to stop and search you again in future.

If you've nothing to hide and carrying nothing illegal then it wouldn't be an issue.

Totally agree which is why I'm glad I dress in a sensible way and can carry all my drugs around safely.

[Tom McB]

If you've nothing to hide and carrying nothing illegal then it wouldn't be an issue.

[Hillonearth]

That's exactly what my point is, what made us suspicious to the police, coming out of a friends house? Is that really all that's required for a search? It seems like the police could say that about just about anyone.

So, your stance indicates you'd be happy to be searched every time you walked out the house as the police thought you looked a bit suspicious, despite you carrying nothing illegal?

You do understand that because we were caught with drugs once it doesn't mean we are constantly walking around with drugs on us?

Just a thought - could there be a bit of independent pharmaceutical retail going on up the close you don't know about?

[The Moonster]

Just a thought - could there be a bit of independent pharmaceutical retail going on up the close you don't know about?

I don't know the others that live in the close, so you could be right aye.

EDIT - would it not be beneficial then for the police to bust that house rather than waiting for guys coming out with drugs on them? I suppose it could be part of the evidence gathering process, which is fair enough. I just feel that the report shows we search far more than anyone else and I'm sceptical about the reasoning behind it.

Edited July 22, 2014 by The Moonster

[Wee Bully]

So, on their first "stop and search" on your and your pals, they found that one of you was carrying drugs?

Sounds a success to me.

The fact they keep searching you sounds sensible too.

[The Moonster]

So, on their first "stop and search" on your and your pals, they found that one of you was carrying drugs?

Sounds a success to me.

The fact they keep searching you sounds sensible too.

It wasn't the first. So because someone gets found with a small amount of drugs once they should be subjected to searches every time they dare go out in public? At what point do they deem that we're no longer suspicious?

[sjc]

It wasn't the first. So because someone gets found with a small amount of drugs once they should be subjected to searches every time they dare go out in public? At what point do they deem that we're no longer suspicious?

if you fly with the crows.....you tend to get shot with the crows.

[jock001]

http://rt.com/uk/174384-scottish-police-stop-seach/

The Scottish Police Authority carried out a report which found that Scottish police carry out 9 times more stop and searches than police in New York. This was left out of the report as it was deemed an irrelevant fact but the report did acknowledge it's comparison with London police where Scottish police carry out three times as many stop and searches.

Figures show a 400% rise in searches in some parts, including Fife (shock! horror!) and also the number of children under the age of criminality being searched illegally has seen a spike. A total of 250,000 hours of police time is taken up carrying out searches in Scotland

Here's a link to the report - http://www.spa.police.uk/assets/126884/230479/scrutinytaskgroupreport

A quick look at the recommendations and you'll see that they're looking at "targeting the right people at the right time" to change these stats. I'd like to know what criteria someone would need to meet to be deemed the right target and what a good time would be.

In Dumbarton, me and my friends have been searched (one of my friends is certainly targeted) on numerous occasions for the simple crime of walking out of a close. "Where have you been tonight?", "Just in our mates house", "cool, we're just going to give you a wee search, okay?". My mate mentioned above has been caught with a small amount of cannabis (less than £10 worth) in the past, as have I and I can't help but think that as soon as we're recognised by the police they see it as a quick couple of £75 (at least) fines. It seems as well that the police don't even really need a reason, they just have to be suspicious that you're up to/hiding something, which if they've caught us with cannabis once would give them reason to think we've got it again. I think that's bullshit.

So aye, my whinging aside, oor cops love to give a good frisking, is this the right way of doing things or is it a quick money making exercise?

If you don't want to be stopped and searched all the time, record the police every time they do it.

Like most civil servants, they hate working under circumstances where their own actions might be judged.

Also, make sure you always ask them exactly why they stopped you and make sure you record their answer.

[Romeo]

Probably when you stop carrying drugs around with you and acting suspicious.

I have to agree with our resident Celtic expert. Many of these stop and searches might well be on the same wee scrotes known for causing mischief. I have never been stopped and searched by the rozzers.

Having said that many of the police I have come across are complete bell ends and like to play the big man.

[Wee Bully]

It wasn't the first. So because someone gets found with a small amount of drugs once they should be subjected to searches every time they dare go out in public? At what point do they deem that we're no longer suspicious?

Seems fair enough to me.

Act like scum, get treated as scum

[Paranoid]

I was walking home from a friend's house early morning. A police car drew up beside me and out popped a policeman and a policewomen. Well the bloke asked me where I was going and what did I have in my carrier bag. I told him and they got back in their car and drove off at high speed. Stopped but no search. I think they were bored stiff and simply wanted to do some policing. We need some proper criminals.

For the record I had a pair of plimsolls, a raincoat, a bottle of water and some secateurs. I didn't mention the secateurs.