'Stop and search' failings at Wiltshire Police highlighted in report

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabularies (HMIC) found the force was not carrying out stop and searches properly — targeting ethnic minorities too often and failing to openly publish the results.

HMIC published the findings in a report today, which rated the force's overall treatment of the public as 'good'.

Police commissioner Angus Macpherson admitted more work was needed "in this sensitive policing area".

The report said: "We were particularly concerned that the force does not understand the reasons for its disproportionate use of stop and search affecting black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people.

"There is a disproportionately high rate of search and arrest following search of BAME community members, particularly in Swindon.

"While there may be various reasons for this disparity, we were concerned to note that the force has a limited understanding of why this is the case."

Police officers in the county carried out 3,245 stop and searches in 2014/2015 — 4.6 per 1,000 people.

This was less than half the number it carried out the year before, and a third fewer than other similar forces.

But the force does not properly record or publish the results of stop and searches, such as whether the item searched for was found.

And it does not give the public the chance to go out with officers and watch them carrying out stop and searches, which it should, according to the report.

Although officers have been trained in "best practice" of how and why to stop and search people, their understanding was "very limited", the report said.

And it said the force must find a way to "provide the public with important information about its use of stop and search powers".

Mr Macpherson said an independent scrutiny panel was looking at how the force carries out stop and searches, and an action plan was an "urgent priority".

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Cooper said work to improve stop and search procedures had already begun.