Image Text:

PICTURED: Home Secretary Sajid Javid speaks during the National Police Chiefs' Council and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners joint summit at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in central London

SAJID JAVID has promised to make it easier for police to use stop and search, he announced today (Oct 31).

According to the Evening Standard, the Home Secretary said he would “be looking at ways to reduce bureaucracy and increase efficiency” in the deployment of the tactic as part of a series of changes to improve the police’s ability to tackle a “worrying rise” in serious violent offending.

Mr Javid has urged police not be afraid to use this tactic, suggesting a change in stance from previous figures occupying the Home Secretary role.

In a speech made today, at the conference of the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Association of Policing and Crime Commissioners, he said: "Money alone isn’t the answer. That’s why I’m also making sure the police have the right powers too.

“One of these powers is stop and search. I want officers to feel confident, trusted and supported in using stop and search, and I will be looking at ways to reduce bureaucracy and increase efficiency in the use of this power.”

Mr Javid’s stance comes after the publication of official figures last week, showing that fewer stop and searches were carried out in London in the past year, despite the rise in knife crime in the capital.

Read every story in our hardcopy newspaper for free by downloading the app.