New independent board, appointed to evaluate and challenge how criminal justice partners are tackling racial disproportionality, met this month to look at progress and a new impact report on Stop and Search police powers

The Independent Scrutiny Board (ISB) was appointed at the end of 2023, to scrutinise the ongoing programme to tackle racial disproportionality in the Avon and Somerset criminal justice system.

The programme was created following the publication of the Identifying Disproportionality in the Criminal Justice System Report, commissioned by the local Criminal Justice Board. It set out 83 recommendations for change – for all agencies involved in delivering criminal justice across Avon and Somerset.   

In their latest meeting, the Board reviewed the programme activity report and discussed how they would scrutinise the work going forwards, learning from other scrutiny panels.

Assistant Chief Constable Will White and Chief Inspector Vicks Hayward-Melen from Avon and Somerset Police presented the findings from their latest internal Stop and Search police report. The areas of disproportionality the report covered included:

• Teams of officers that were found to be disproportionate in the stop searches they were conducting.
• Evidence of high levels of disproportionality in searches involving the exposure of intimate body parts.
• Individual officers that were found to be disproportionality stopping Black people.

Bristol-based Financial Consultant Peninah A-Kindberg was elected by the Board to become Deputy Chair. She said, “I think we as a Board can help to increase transparency as the Board is independent and will shape its own work.

“Community relations and building trust is key to this process, so being part of this Board gives us the opportunity to do this. Our aim is to take a multiagency approach and establish a long-term vision to tackling racism and its impact.

“In our latest meeting, we asked the agencies and programme team to focus on reporting the outcomes they are looking to achieve with their work and how they are looking to make change that is felt by people who are Black or from a minoritised ethnic background.”

Desmond Brown, Chair of the ISB said, “Since I authored the initial report in 2019, it has felt like it has been a long road to get to the place where we can begin to scrutinise the work of all the criminal justice agencies.

“Along with the administrative support the Board is now receiving, and the support from Police and Crime Commissioner Clare Moody and her team, I feel positive that we can begin to build a scrutiny board that is fit for purpose.

“We want to build on the success of other scrutiny boards, to bring about positive change and make things better for those who are affected daily by an institutionally racist criminal justice system.

“The new Stop and Search report from the police shows the levels of disproportionality that continue to exist in our system. As a Board, we want to make sure all agencies reform their practices when there is evidence of disproportionality. We will be holding the steering committee to account to achieve the reforms needed.

“I’m grateful to Peninah for taking on the role of Deputy Chair. Together with all Board members, we want to start a two-way conversation with our communities – to hear from those who are most affected by the inequalities that exist within our criminal justice system.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Clare Moody chairs the Local Criminal Justice Board. She said, “I’m pleased the Scrutiny Board will now be meeting regularly to review progress and to challenge each criminal justice agency to tackle racial disproportionality.

“This is the first independent board we’ve had where all members are from a Black and minoritised ethnic background. We need professional expertise and insight from people who understand the issues, to be able to shape how we can make lasting change.

“I share the concerns with the Board around some of the information and statistics coming out of the new Stop and Search report, which shows the levels of disproportionality that exist in the police use of the power. I will be closely monitoring the response to the report and seeking assurances from the Chief Constable that she and her colleagues understand why the disproportionality exists, to be able to reform and move towards an anti-racist criminal justice system.”

For more information about the work of the programme, visit Tackling Disproportionality | OPCC for Avon and Somerset (avonandsomerset-pcc.gov.uk)