Nottingham connected
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13
Inspired-Succeed CIC & Fearless Youth Association
launch Stop & Search research in Nottingham
By Rowan Windsor
Inspired-succeed CIC will be undertaking research
throughout May and June exploring the incidence
and perceptions of stop-and-search checks and
procedures on young people within Nottingham
City Centre and Nottinghamshire. Partnering
with Fearless Youth Association, the research will
shed light on how the police use stop and search
techniques among young people and how the nature
these interaction can inform future policy making.
Led by Inspired-Succeed CIC’s Horace Francis and
community researchers from Fearless Youth Association.
Other partners include Inspired–Succeed, Mojatu,
Genius Clothing and FMB Radio.
This research is aimed at reducing harm and negative
interactions between young people and the police. We
want to ensure the safety of our young people and their
confidence in the police and reporting crime. It is our
hope that the dissemination of this research , including
any future recommendations will be an effective tool
for local policy makers regarding interactions between
young people and Nottinghamshire police. This is a
preliminary phase of what we hope to become a more
broadly researched area regarding police and citizen
interactions, and that secondary phases of this research
project will contribute towards building trustworthy
and positive interactions between young people and
the police in Nottingham.
The main focus of this research is to garner insights of
community perceptions towards the police during stop
and search procedures, and to use this information
to help inform how young people can develop their
confidence working with the police during stop and
search situations. Likewise, to help police feel informed
about young people’s perceptions of stop-and-search
scenarios and make stop-and-search checks as positive
as possible, for both police and citizens.
This research is coming at an important time as
Nottingham city recognises knife crime as a public
health issue and plans to tackle the problem through
early intervention and education. Thus, with the
numbers of stop and searches increasing on the
streets, Inspired-Succeed CIC & FYA are providing
knowledge of young people’s rights and how to work
better with the police.
In an effort to encourage young people to take part in
our research and ensure they receive some immediate
benefit for their participation, we will be offering free
literature on citizen rights during stop searches, as
well as the possibility of free inner-city bus passes. We
hope this will go some way to having an immediate
positive impact on our young citizens and encourage
them to take a positive stance on research and policy
regarding policing.
Horace Francis, who is leading this collaboration said,
“I’m hoping this research can help to develop trust and
confidence between the police and young people. We
want to be able to use properly collected data to share
our findings about the current situation in stop and
search to be able to effectively tackle knife crime when
stop and search increases. We want young people
to feel empowered to understand their rights when
stopped by police.”
“This research is really timely given that stop and search
is a major cause of concern among the BME communities
due to poor experiences among individuals in their
dealing with the police. Increase in stop and search
without better understanding of its effects is bound
to have negative effects in police work hence reducing
their ability to tackle knife crime and gang violence. It is
vital that we take action to create narratives and media
stories that increase understanding and confidence
about the police among the young people.” Said
Valentine Nkoyo, CEO of Mojatu Foundation, another
partner in this research.
“The project will ensure that we gain a better insight
on the quality of stop and search in the city. This will
help us give young people the tools to interact with the
police in a positive manner, by equipping them with the
skills and knowledge to handle situations where they
are stopped and searched,” said Angela Wathoni, FYA
Project Manager.
Alongside
involving
young
people
across
Nottinghamshire, the team will be providing information
about young people’s rights when interacting with the
police and when stopped and searched.
For the next six weeks, teams from the partner
organisations and local communities will take to
the streets to speak with young people across
Nottinghamshire and ask them to fill out a short
questionnaire based on their experience of stop and
search situations.
The research collected will be shared at a conference
held by the Police and Crime Commissioner on June
21st aimed at tackling knife crime which is scheduled
for June. The aim will be to use this information to
inform police on how to work more effectively with
young people.