Metropolitan Police have highest rate of stop and search in the country
Police have carried out the highest number of stop and searches in seven years, with the figure rising by more than 50% in 12 months, official statistics show.
There were 558,973 stop and searches carried out in the year to March under section one of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Pace) in England and Wales, according to Home Office figures published on Tuesday.
The powers allow police to search people and vehicles for things like drugs or a weapon without a warrant.
This is the highest number of stops and searches since 2013/14 (872,518), but still below the peak in 2010/11 (1,179,746), the report said.
It is also an increase of 193,419 (53%) compared to the 2018/19, when 365,554 searches were recorded.
The report added: “The Metropolitan Police service accounts for half of the increase in the number of stops and searches in latest year.”
In England and Wales, there were 10 stop and searches per 1,000 population in the year to March, with the Metropolitan Police area having the highest rate of 31 per 1,000 population.
Of the 558,973, 73,423 led to an arrest, up 28% from the previous year (57,546).
The statistics cover all stop and search powers which police have under Pace, the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and the Terrorism Act 2000.