Stop and search data for the Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge area has been added to an online crime maps service this month as part of a new police initiative to promote openess.
Map-based information showing details like the ethnicity, gender and age range of those who are stopped and searched will be published alongside crime data on www.police.uk.
The data shows that in December 2014, there was one stop and search in Burnham and two in Highbridge with no follow-on arrests.
The move will help the police service be more open about the use of stop and search, an issue which is important amongst communities across the country.
Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens has welcomed the introduction, saying it is a key issue in local communities.
She said: “Stop and search is an emotive issue for many people and it something people will often raise with me. It’s a useful tool for the police when used appropriately but the community must have confidence that it is being used fairly. We’ll drive up confidence by being more open, so I welcome this move, but the police cannot become complacent.”
“They need to keep having conversations with our communities and use their feedback to continue improving in this area. The Constabulary have agreed to report on the progress made following their stop and search summit this spring and I look forward to hearing about how the community feel it’s going.”
The Home Office committed last year to using geo-mapping technology to make stop and search more transparent than ever before, to bring greater accountability to how forces are using stop and search and to improve the way officers use the sensitive power.
You can find stop and search data by searching online maps at www.police.uk
