Young people asked to help improve stop and search

The West Midlands police and crime commissioner (PCC) hopes young people could be the key to improving the use of stop and search powers by officers in the region.

According to Simon Foster, the elected official who scrutinises the force, just 34% of the 2,339 stop and searches conducted in January 2026 resulted in some form of further police action.

The PCC said the force would launch youth scrutiny panels, with 14 to 24-year-olds asked to review anonymised body-worn video footage and data and provide feedback to police bosses.

The panels are set to meet at locations including Sandwell College and Birmingham City University, with feedback then used to inform officer training.

The PCC said he believed stop and search powers were an essential tool to help prevent and tackle crime, but also among the most intrusive police have.

"It is vital they are used fairly, lawfully and proportionately," he added.

"Young people are often the most affected by these interactions, yet their voices have historically been under-represented."

According to national figures, which measure arrests alone, just 14.9% of stop and searches conducted by officers in England and Wales resulted in someone being taken into custody.

Black people were searched at 4.9 times the rate of their white counterparts, with males aged 18 to 34 having the highest rate of stop and search.

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