Police watchdog refuses to back use of stop and search without suspicion

HMIC finds forces fail to follow safeguards and leaders cannot explain disproportional stops of black people

The official inspectorate has refused to back police use of powers to stop and search people without suspicion, finding that chiefs cannot explain why black people are 12 times more likely to be targeted.

Critics have claimed stops carried out under section 60 cause “more harm than good”.