New stop and search rules for 'institutionally racist' Avon and Somerset Police
Watch Robert Murphy's report.
A police force described by its own chief constable as "institutionally racist" has introduced new stop and search procedures.
Chief Constable Sarah Crew criticised Avon and Somerset Police in July 2023 after a report into the organisation.
Since then, the force's own figures show that stop and search rates have actually risen for black people.
The latest rates show black people are now 6.77 times more likely to be stopped and searched compared with 5.63 times in 2022.
The force has paid for a film showing the dos and don't of stop and search - made by teenagers at production firm in St Pauls.
It has also introduced new measures, including:
A new stop and search policy
A new 'deferred prosecution' scheme where young people arrested for an offence do not have to plead guilty but can accept a place on a 'Chance to Change' programme.
New training for officers - so far 1,500 have been on the programme.
Chief Constable Sarah Crew said: “When I made the statement on institutional racism, I said I would come back in one year to update on the progress we have made, to back my words with action.
“The report we are publishing documents the activity that has taken place since then and, importantly, sets out how we will continue our progress in becoming a truly anti-racist organisation; maintaining momentum to improve trust and confidence in communities where it is most needed.
“Had I not acknowledged that institutional racism exists in the organisation, I’m sure the work we are doing in this area would not have been successful – the communities most directly affected by it would not trust us, work with us or take us at our word.
"Without trust there is no consent, and without consent we no longer have legitimacy to police. It is this simple. It is fundamental.
“In the past year over 70 people have joined our Race Matters Community Network, to help us shape anti-racist policing in Avon and Somerset.
"I’m so grateful to all those people, whose input and voices are central to the changes we are making.”
Avon and Somerset is one of only three forces in the country to declare itself "institutionally racist" - the others are Police Scotland and British Transport Police.
The Metropolitan Police, West Midland and Greater Manchester forces have refused to do so.
Avon and Somerset's Police Federation had reservations about the way Sarah Crew made her announcement last year.
Iain Prideaux, the Acting Chairmen of the Police Federation's Avon & Somerset Branch said: "Officers heard they were racist, so it became personal. We don't make a product, we're a service.
"We work with a community. And having trust and confidence from the community is incredibly important.
"We needed to understand where the Chief was coming from in making that declaration. And since then we're beginning to understand it was about the processes."