Enhanced stop and search powers authorised following assault in Easton
There is 1 related update to this story
Enhanced stop and search powers will be in place in parts of Bristol this evening following an incident earlier today (Sunday 9 June).
Superintendent Lisa Simpson this afternoon granted authority to use the powers under Section 60 and Section 60AA of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act.
The powers will come into force from 7pm tonight (9 June) and will be in place initially for 24 hours and will allow uniformed officers to stop and search any person or vehicle within a specified area for a weapon in order to prevent serious violence.
Avon and Somerset officers who are deployed in this way complete a specific briefing on these powers to ensure they are used correctly within our communities.
The powers follow an assault which took place off Stapleton Road at around 4.40am this morning in which two people were injured.
The two men were taken to hospital to receive treatment for their injuries, which are no longer believed be life-threatening but one of the men is still in serious condition.
Officers have now arrested 11 men in relation to the incident, all on suspicion of attempted murder. They all remain in police custody.
Supt Simpson said: “We do not underestimate the concerns of the local community following this recent incident of knife crime and serious violence in Bristol. It is because of this that we have made the decision to bring in the section 60 powers for our officers.
“A section 60 power authorises officers to stop and search an individual if they have suspicions that they may be carrying knives or other weapons which could be used in serious violence in the area.
“Alongside this, they will also have a section 60AA power which allows officers to ask people to remove face coverings if they have reason to believe it is being worn to conceal their identity.”
This does not mean people will be stopped indiscriminately and officers will still follow usual stop and search processes, including:
- Explaining why a person has been stopped
- Recording the interaction on body worn video
- Offering a receipt to the person who has been stopped
The authorisation can last for up to 24 hours, after which it may be extended for a further 24 hours by a superintendent.
Our decision to use these powers and searches carried out under this authority will be reviewed by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s independent Scrutiny of Police Powers Panel, who can also check and test how such searches have been carried out.