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A police officer or a police community support officer (PCSO) in uniform can stop you but only police officers can search you. A police officer does not have to be in uniform but they must show you their warrant (ID) card. They can search you, anything you are carrying and a vehicle.
This is when a police officer or PCSO stops you in a public place and asks you to account for yourself and may ask you:
This is when a police officer stops and then searches you, a vehicle and anything you're carrying.
This is when a police officer stops a vehicle.
The police officer or police community support officer must explain why you're being stopped and why you're being asked to account for your actions or presence in an area.
The police use these powers to help make the local community safer by preventing and detecting crime. Naturally, public cooperation is an essential part of that.
Stop and search most often happens in public places. However, there are some powers, such as searching for firearms or drugs, which allow police to search people anywhere.
If you're in a public place, you may be required to remove your coat or jacket and your gloves, unless you've been stopped in relation to terrorism or where the officer believes you are using clothes to hide your identity.
If the officer asks you to take off more than this, or anything you wear for religious reasons, such as a face scarf, veil or turban, they must take you somewhere out of public view. This doesn’t mean you’re being arrested.
The officer must be polite and respectful at all times. We are committed to continuously improving standards around the delivery of service to our communities.
We're aware that the process may take a little time but it should be handled quickly and professionally. The police officer may ask a few questions and then, if they consider it necessary, will search you.
The search is not voluntary. If you don’t cooperate the officer can use reasonable force to conduct the search.
If the officer has a body worn video camera they'll record the encounter unless it's considered no longer necessary or proportionate.
A police officer can legally stop any vehicle at any time and ask to see driving documents, check the condition of the vehicle or deal with driving offences. This is not a stop and search and you may be given documentation relevant to road traffic matters. If the entire process ends there, this is considered a ‘vehicle stop'.
It becomes a stop and account if you or any passengers with you are asked to account for themselves.
If a police officer then searches the vehicle or persons in it, this is a stop and search.
The police officer who stops and searches you must provide you with certain information including:
The police officer will ask for your:
You don't have to give this information if you don't want to; unless the police officer says they're reporting you for an offence.
You should be offered one of the following:
If you wish to complain either about being stopped or searched or the way it was carried out, this record/receipt will help identify the circumstances.
The search record must contain the following information:
Please note: You won't be given a receipt and no record will be made of a stop and account.
You've not been subject to a stop and search if, for example:
In cases like these, a stop and search record will not be made and you'll not be given a receipt.