Child Stop & Searches Probed

The Scottish Police Authority are asking Sir Stephen House about the number of children searched by his officers.

The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) is holding an additional board meeting today to seek answers on recent issues raised around the past and future use of the controversial stop and search tactic in Scotland.

It comes after it emerged last week that a one-year-old child had been searched by officers in Fife.

The meeting is planning to address two primary issues, the performance of Police Scotland in relation to non-statutory stop and search of children under 12, and an initial examination of the options, alternatives and implications of ending the use of non-statutory stop and search as a whole.

Last week, Police Scotland released information which appeared to indicate that a considerable number of children under 12 have continued to be stopped and searched on a consensual basis, after very clear commitments were made to both Parliament and the SPA last year that this practice would end.

The SPA will question the Chief Constable Sir Stephen House, and Deputy Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick, on whether the information released to the media was accurate, and if so why the commitment to end such searches has not yet been fulfilled.

They also want to know when Police Scotland does expect to be in a position to fulfil the commitment. 

The meeting comes after the Chief Constable announced last week that he had taken a decision to review measures to replace the consensual element of the stop and search tactics after a record drop in crime, including violent crime across Scotland, and the ongoing commitment to using police powers proportionately, and the conclusion of a six month stop and search pilot in Fife.