From Sunday officers will have to record every individual they stop and ensure the person has proof as well.

At present only stop and searches rather than just stops are recorded in this way by the Met.

The scheme, which was first started in Hackney in April 2003, will be introduced nationally in 2005.

Recommendation 61 is about accountability and enhancing the trust and confidence local people have in the police Chief Inspector Richard Woolford

The London force has been selected by the Home Office, along with six others across the UK, to test various methods of recording stops before the scheme is introduced.

Chief Inspector Richard Woolford, who is co-ordinating the implementation of the initiative in Tower Hamlets, said: "Recommendation 61 is about accountability and enhancing the trust and confidence local people have in the police.

"Officers have genuine and valid reasons to ask people to account for their movements and we recognise that this can sometimes leave people feeling confused as to why they were stopped.

"Recommendation 61 will allay that doubt and increase the understanding of police actions within local communities."

Tower Hamlets has also been chosen to pilot the Met's IT approach to Recommendation 61 by using hi-tech hand-held computers which officers hope will speed up the process.