Use of stop and search will be ‘intelligence-led’ under new MPS policing plan

The force’s latest neighbourhood policing strategy, labelled ‘Operation Nightingale’, will focus on “evidence-based” approaches such as “hotspot” policing to reduce violent crimes and anti-social behaviour.

Once an area has been designated as a hotspot, a plan will be put in place to deploy techniques such as drug dogs, community events and stop and search in a bid to reduce crime.

The Mayor of London defended the controversial use of stop and search, which critics say disproportionately targets black and ethnic minority communities, saying it is “an important part of the police’s armoury”.

Speaking about stop and search while visiting Church Street in Westminster on Friday (April 14), Mr Khan said: “The tackling [of this] has been both tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime… investing in young people giving them constructive things to do, but also using all the tools in the police’s armoury.

“Intelligence-led stop and search is an important part of the police’s armoury, it allows them to take offensive weapons off the streets, guns off the streets and knives off the streets.

“It had to be done using intelligence because what we don’t want to see is increased disproportionality.”

The use of stop and search has been controversial because of concerns it disproportionately affects black and minority ethnic communities.

Government statistics suggest black people are seven times more like to be stopped and searched compared to white people.

Campaign groups have previously warned that relaxing the restrictions on when police are allowed to use the tactic could compound discrimination.

An area will be identified as a “Nightingale hotspot” by officers using the MPS’s crime data.

Intelligence will be collected by neighbourhood officers to help police better understand crime in that area and how to protect the safety of its residents.

Mr Khan added that the operation is “needed now more than ever,” and Church Street is an example of how effective it is.

“This is needed now more than ever as the impact of the cost-of-living crisis threatens to jeopardise the progress being made,” he said.

“This community has been blighted by serious youth violence and social behaviour, robbery.

“This approach from the police is working with the community, neighbourhood patrol teams, and other specialist police teams like the Violent Crime Task Force targeting those serious violent hotspots, we’ve got 75 of these across our city.

“What we’ve seen over the last year is violence reduced by 36 per cent around [Church Street] and crime down by 20 per cent.”

Mr Khan was joined in Westminster by Dr Alison Heydari, the MPS’s Commander for Frontline Policing.

She said: “Strong neighbourhood policing is at the heart of everything we do at the Metropolitan Police Service. We have a duty to not only protect the public but to also provide a visible and effective police presence in communities, which is critical to delivering more trust and less crime across London.

“Our plan to build the Strongest Ever Neighbourhood Policing will mean working collaboratively right across the Met using all the resources at our disposal to crack down on crime and protect the public. As part of this plan, we have already announced the appointment of a new Superintendent tasked with commanding local policing in each one of London’s boroughs.

“We are rolling out the latest thinking and tactics – such as this Operation Nightingale – to tackle anti-social behaviour, neighbourhood crime and violent crime. This work, alongside traditional police activity, will mean we are relentless in fighting crime in every neighbourhood and local area, with the help of experts and partners.”

Councillor Aicha Less, Westminster deputy leader and Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Protection, said:“As a Church Street resident, I know only too well the devastating impact that violence can have on our local communities, so it’s vital that there is full trust and confidence in our local police force.

“That starts with getting the basics of policing right, and I’m pleased to see how proactive patrols, community input, and evidence-based tactics at the heart of Operation Nightingale are enabling neighbourhood police officers to reduce violence, make more arrests and create a safer neighbourhood for us all.”