Stop and search goes digital

Under new rules information about stop and search incidents must now be collected. The Home Office has commissioned six pilot projects to computerise stop and search and, following an evaluation that included a visit to Merseyside Police, Hertfordshire decided to opt for the application produced by BroadSkill.

The software is simple to implement and includes links to gazetteer technology that can locate stops geographically. The software is also able to monitor the documents that are subsequently produced after the stop and search event. This allows the force to better use the intelligence they have gathered at the scene.

“Hertfordshire Constabulary selected BroadSkill Ltd as the supplier for a stop and search database solution late in 2004,” said Vincent Blacklock, Business Analyst with the force.

“Hertfordshire required the BroadSkill STOPs database to be web enabled and several new data items to be included in the new web forms. Over the following months, a very good working relationship was established and this played no small part in achieving the service launch on the due date.”

The new system has been enthusiastically received by officers and has helped significantly in achieving one of the force’s key strategic objectives: improving community confidence in police activity. The application provides solid evidence of actual events, and positive feedback has been received from the police authority, the Home Office and advisory groups.