Police Scotland Policy: Stop and Search of Children.

I've just realised the numbers were off there. :smiley-laughing002:

If a kid's alleged to have a firearm and searches recover a firearm 25% of the time, that's fairly good going and - obviously - necessary.

A success rate of 9% in 356 cases is far too low though. I've been asked by the police - albeit it at a slightly older age - to open a bag I've been carrying on two occasions so that they can search for alcohol when I've had nothing on me, so I'm not surprised by the stats.

 

You don't have to do anything they ask you, but if they have reasonable suspicion that you're concealing something or otherwise breaking the law a simple stop & search can quickly escalate into an arrest and detainment at the police station.

It's not as if you can simply stoat around town with a blade in your pocket and simply tell the cops to * off if they approach you.

 

A success rate of 9% is actually higher than I thought it would be, and suggests that such searches are required in my opinion.

This isn't the police stopping & searching junkies, known criminals or characters who look dodgy, it's children we're talking about.

9% of children stopped and searched have been found to be carrying something illegal. That's * shocking.

 

I imagine it'd really mess with a child's head getting searched by a man that's there to stop 'bad men'.

It's stupid. What isn't described as a weapon these days? I bet half them had a stick or a BB gun - something most had as a child.

 

It doesn't.

If a police officer has reasonable cause to suspect that you may have committed a crime or offence, then he or she will ask for your name and address. It's an offence not to give them... and you'll likely end up getting lifted so they can confirm what you're not willing to give freely.

You don't have to show any ID (except in certain motoring situations, but you have up to seven days to produce it).

 

If on those occasions I'd refused to let them search me, knowing that I'd done nothing wrong, would I have been free to leave or would I have been taken to the station? Bearing in mind that these were run of the mill can we have a look in your bag for alcohol? searches and not a we suspect you're stoating around town with a blade search. :smiley-laughing002:

 

It all depends on the circumstances and what they think you may have, doesn't it?

For example, if someone calls the cops and says that they spotted a teenager matching your description walking down the street with a knife in his hand they'd probably treat you differently than if they were performing random searches for * smuggling booze into an Ian Brown concert! :smiley-laughing002:

 

I don't think officers will follow those rules to a tee 100% of the time, not at all.

Edit: when I was younger (and that one time) I was stopped and searched, he never said what he expected to find on me? He said his name showed I.D. (he was a police obviously).

The results are not good enough for what they are doing imo.

 

It's not an offence though, you can't be charged with anything or imprisoned, find etc. You have the right to remain silent. If they really want your name, then they would have to arrest you and take you to the station. But to do that they have to have grounds of supsicion that you have committed a crime, otherwise they are wasting time and resources and arresting an innocent.

You do not have to say anything to the police unless arrested and charged with a crime and then its only your name.

And I know you don't have to show i.d. but if you really didn't want to talk to them at all, then you can just show them i.d., they can take your name and leave.

 

I suspect you have been looking at English law / English police procedure which is quite different to Scots.

The police in Scotland can ask you for your name and address if they suspect that you have witnessed a crime, or have committed a crime.

Failure to do so is an offence and you can be charged with it.

 

I believe if a single weapon is found out of 100 searches that is one more weapon out of circulation....which has to be good .

 

So you could turn that about and say 9% of searches found something criminal in the searches.
So 90 under 12's in a 1000 or 900 in 10,000

What if you were stabbed by one of these little * which could have been prevented if the police searched the little scumbag.

 

9% seems okay to me although I can see why people think it's a bit low.

Kids tend to hang about in groups so when one has something it would tend to only be 1 of the 5+ in the group, wouldn't it?

 

Some people are just anti police no matter what is said , end of

 

Some people have every * right to be anti filth no matter what is said, end of.

When you grow up in certain areas, the police aren't your friendly local bobby and plenty of people have never had a positive experience with them.

 

I've lived in the east end all my life and generally found they don't bother you if you don't bother them

 

Not exactly a great introduction to the police for kids getting searched like a criminal. Many kids will grow up with disdain for the police, after events such as this. Many of these kids parents will no doubt talk to other parents in the community about it which could spread further dislike for them.

Would like to see the breakdown of these figures as well, would put money on kids in the wealthy areas having very low stop and search stats , compared to them in working class areas

 

Well duh

a 11 year old in Easterhouse is more likely to be carrying a weapon than one in Bearsden

 

I would actually search more of the wee *, £2 to watch your car Mr, *.