Greater Manchester Police stops strip searches after critical report

Greater Manchester Police end strip searches
The report into Greater Manchester Police's treatment of women and girls in custody was sparked after one woman, Zayna, accused the force of maltreatment while she was in a custody cell. Credit: Greater Manchester Police

Strip searches by police in so-called "welfare" cases are to be stopped in Greater Manchester, mayor Andy Burnham has announced.

The decision follows testimonies from victims who claimed they were subjected to unjustified strip searches by Greater Manchester Police.

Ending the practice was one of the recommendations of the Dame Vera Baird Inquiry, an independent review into the experiences of women and girls in police custody in the area.Her intervention was sparked by the story of a woman called Zayna Iman, who claims she was drugged and sexually assaulted while being strip searched by GMP officers in 2021.More than 15 people - including three men - gave evidence to the report, highlighting the force's "shocking disregard for rights of those coming into contact with the criminal justice system".Of those 15, Dame Vera found seven had been unlawfully arrested.As seen on Granada Reports, one girl, who was just 14 at the time she was arrested, was found to have been unlawfully strip searched and was now terrified of police, Dame Vera's report said.On publication of her report in July, GMP's Chief Constable Stephen Watson said what the senior KC had revealed was "indefensible".

Mr Watson said: “To those given a voice by this inquiry who have not received the care and consideration they are entitled to: I am sorry."

Chief Constable Stephen Watson admitted GMP's strip-search policy was "indefensible". Credit: ITV Granada

Welfare cases are ones where the person in custody is deemed to be vulnerable, for a variety of reasons.Andy Burnham said: "This is a landmark moment in our quest to improve the safety and treatment of women across Greater Manchester.

"Last year, we commissioned Dame Vera Baird to carry out a full and independent review that would shine a spotlight on experiences in police custody, and give a voice to those who were failed by problematic cultures and practices.

"The distressing findings of that report were a clarion call for urgent action. Today we can confirm that Greater Manchester is answering that call.

"In July, both the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Greater Manchester Police committed to implement fully and faithfully the recommendations set out in Dame Vera’s inquiry.

Andy Burnham said the strip-search announcement was a "landmark moment" Credit: ITV Granada

"Back then I called on GMP to bring an end to strip-searching for so-called welfare purposes within six months. Four months on, this practice has ended, and there is now a presumption against strip searches for concealment.

"It is clear that there is still progress to be made. The Deputy Mayor and I will continue to hold up a mirror to unacceptable practices wherever we find them, and work with the Chief Constable and his team to ensure that improvements are delivered and sustained."

Mr Burnham's office says since July, 24 of the 26 recommendations made to GMP, including the end of "welfare" strip searches – have been implemented, and seven of the eight recommendations put to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority will be delivered by December.

Recommendations to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority included the establishment of an Independent Scrutiny Panel to look at arrests and custody records, and appointing a new Super Independent Custody Visitor to make unannounced visits to custody suites.

Deputy Mayor for Safer and Stronger Communities Kate Green said strip searches to find concealed items would now only be used as a "last resort".

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She added GMP had boosted staffing in custody suites, including a dedicated Female Welfare Officer role and the automatic provision in cells of dignity packs and sanitary products.

"They have also undertaken comprehensive reviews of their training offers, the use of voluntary attendance, and refreshed training for custody officers," she added.

“We are building the foundations of lasting change to cultures and practices that, sadly, have fallen well short of what people should rightly expect.

“The establishment of an independent scrutiny panel that will hold its first meeting next month, reporting to me, will be a vital component in a more robust system of checks and balances in this less publicly visible area of policing."

She said that GMP now needed to build on the improvements that had been made and promised that she and the mayor would continue to "scrutinise" the force in the future.

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