Community Scrutiny Panels are crucial in aiding the Police and Crime Commissioner to hold West Midlands Police to account by engaging with the communities that it serves.
The role of a Scrutiny Panel is to inform West Midlands Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office of the impact, or potential impact, of the use of police powers or police tactics and how the actions of officers using these powers may affect community trust and confidence in the police.
We have established Scrutiny Panels in many areas of policing, including Stop & Search Use of Force, seeing first-hand how effective these can be in guiding areas of policy while also bringing a consistent community prospective which is invaluable.
We currently have Community Scrutiny Panels covering Stop & Search Use of Force and Custody, as outlined below.
The panels are made up of members of the public who are asked to hold West Midlands Police accountable for the use of force and strip search undertaken within West Midlands Police custody suites. This is done by analysing records and viewing body-worn video. The aim is to ensure there is full transparency and to improve confidence in policing and practices.
A primary objective of the Custody Scrutiny Panel is to hold West Midlands Police to account and to ensure fair and effective use of police powers are always demonstrated by West Midlands Police, specifically with regards to the use Strip Search powers and Use of Force within Custody.
Responsibilities of the panel include:
- Review data and body-worn footage of use of force and strip search records undertaken within West Midlands Police custody suites
- Hold West Midlands Police accountable for the use of force and strip search records undertaken within West Midlands Police custody suites
- Analyse data and records effectively in order to offer constructive feedback and challenge police practices in order to influence change
- Raise any concerns in the panel with an OPCC representative
- To have effective communication – respecting, listening to and considering others’ views and concerns
We are no longer looking for volunteers to join our Custody Scrutiny Panel. You can view the recorded notes of previous Custody Scrutiny Panel meetings right here
Every year West Midlands Police stops and searches thousands of people providing they have ‘reasonable grounds’ to suspect an individual is carrying:
- A weapon
- Stolen property
- Something which could be used to commit a crime, e.g. a crowbar
- Illegal drugs
However, West Midlands Police acknowledges that it is a controversial policing tactic. As such, the PCC has set up 10 stop and search scrutiny panels across the West Midlands.
The panels are made up of members of the public who are asked to analyse anonymised stop and search records and view body-worn video to check that the correct procedure has been followed and the use of force was proportionate. The aim is to ensure there is full transparency, improve confidence in policing and better practices.
Every six months, representatives from each Stop and Search Scrutiny Panel come together as a ‘Stop and Search Commission’ to consider wider issues that may exist within West Midlands Police.
For more information on Stop & Search Use of Force scrutiny panels in your area, click here.
