The Waltham Forest Stop and Search Group was scheduled to receive an update on policing priorities in the borough at its meeting on Monday 22 July 2024. It was also scheduled to discuss how the Metropolitan Police would use feedback from the group to improve its stop and search practices. The agenda included a presentation on body worn video footage from recent stop and search operations, feedback from young people about their experiences with the police and an update on the Met’s draft Stop and Search Charter.

Quarterly statistics update

The committee was scheduled to receive a report on stop and search activity in Waltham Forest in the three months to 31 December 2023. The most recent three months of data indicated that Black people were stopped more than four times the rate of white people, a trend the report described as consistent across London “for many years”. Concerns about the over-representation of Black people among those subjected to searches of intimate body parts by police, known as MTIP1 searches, were also included for discussion. The report pack noted that 16 (50%) of those subjected to an MTIP search in the quarter were Black, a statistic the report described as “a massive over representation”.

Bodyworn Camera Footage sessions

The committee was scheduled to discuss its processes for reviewing body worn video footage of stop and search encounters. Group members had previously raised concerns about the premature termination of body worn camera footage, an issue highlighted in previous Stop and Search Group meetings. The report pack included the following statement:

The Chair noted that premature termination of body worn camera footage had been raised at a previous meeting and spoke to the importance of capturing the entirety of all stop and search interactions on film as this would help to prevent misconduct.

YIAG and Streetbase updates

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the activities of Streetbase2, a youth work charity that provides outreach services in the borough. Streetbase was scheduled to present feedback from local young people on their experiences with the police. The report noted that feedback from young people had been “overwhelmingly negative”, and quoted young people describing the police as “annoying, racist, untrustworthy and overly sensitive”.

S&S Charter update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the development of the Metropolitan Police’s Stop and Search Charter.

How Met uses WF Stop and Search Group feedback to improve

The committee was scheduled to discuss how the Metropolitan Police uses feedback from the group to improve its stop and search practices.

Scrutiny of searches not recorded

The committee was scheduled to discuss the 1.5% of stop and searches that were not captured on body worn video. According to the report pack:

The Chair noted that, whilst the number of stops that were not recorded on body worn cameras was a low proportion of total stops, this was still a significant amount.

Scrutiny of MTIP processes

The committee was scheduled to discuss the use of MTIP searches by the police in Waltham Forest.

Escalation routes

The committee was scheduled to discuss the process by which concerns about police conduct should be escalated.

New Borough Commander

The committee was scheduled to be introduced to the Metropolitan Police’s new borough commander for Waltham Forest.

Future meetings

The committee was scheduled to agree dates for its future meetings.