Controversy continues mire for Britain's police forces as a new report indicates rampant abuse of power within the service. A recent report from the police regulator indicates that many in the service continue to act in excess of their powers to stop and search, an incidence that might prompt the government to effectuate legislation.
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary reported that one out of seven stops and searches performed by police forces in England and Wales are unlawful, The Guardian reported.
HMIC's lead inspector, Steve Otter, said the police forces' disobedience to rules in "inexcusable." Otter added that it undermines police legitimacy and threatens public order.
Although 37 out of Britain's 43 police forces were rated "good" in terms of operating fairly and ethically within the bounds of the law, they scored poorly on executing proper stop and search measures.
According to The Independent only the police force in Kent garnered an "outstanding" rating. Meanwhile, Cleveland, Dyfed Powys, West Mercia Northumbria and Warwickshire "required improvement."
"Every single major report into disorder in this country since 1970 places stop and search as one of, if not the most important contributing factor, and those lessons need to be learned," Otter said, indicating that the problem has long prevailed in the service despite promises of reform.
Black, Asian and other minority groups are largely the subject of these abuses.
"Stop and search can be very effective in preventing crime, although it's the application of it that we are concerned about. The reasons given for doing it are often highly questionable and black and Asians are still disproportionately stopped," said Desmond Jaddoo, a member of the West Midlands stop-and-search scrutiny panel.
Steve Otter said the stop and search method is the "litmus test" of the police's legitimacy. The police's failure to pass the test has developed the perception of having a "culture of unlawful discrimination within the police."
The problem is rooted from the police forces' failure to record a reasonable ground for performing a stop and search. According to The Yorkshire Post, two-thirds of recorded stops and searches did not indicate reasonable grounds for the conduct thereof.
Home Secretary Theresa May has ordered the suspension of 13 forces who scored poorly with compliance to the Home Office and College of Police's "best use" stop-and-search guidelines. They failed to meet five requirements of the stop and search scheme, which includes recording the outcome of a stop.
The suspend forces will undergo an emergency inspection within three months.
