Evaluation of police Stop and Search training
Randomised Control Trial Status
Completed
Trial Hypothesis
Trained officers would have greater knowledge and feel more prepared for stop and search
Trained officers would have attitudes more favourable to good practice in police-public interactions
Trained officers would say they will behave in line with training standards on stop and search decision making and practice
Trained officers’ practice would be more professional and effective
Geographical area
Six pilot forces were involved:
Research Institution / Organisation
College of Policing
In Collaboration With
British Transport Police; Greater Manchester Police; Thames Valley Police; Sussex Police; Metropolitan Police; Cleveland Police
Project Start Date
January 2015
Participants - inclusion criteria
Serving police officers who were:
in operational roles likely to carry out stop and search (e.g. response and neighbourhood officers)
available for training and ordinary duties during the evaluation period
regular users of stop and search in 2014/15.
Target Sample Size
The total sample size was 1,323. This equated to approximately 220 participants in each pilot force:
Study Design
The randomised controlled trial used a stratified parallel-groups design, with officer-level randomisation (see infographic of study design).
The study included
an impact evaluation (carried out with the Research Advisory Service) that examined the effect of the pilot training, comparing the treatment and control groups post-test (stop and search data was compared pre- and post-test)
a process evaluation (carried out with RAND Europe) that examined the nature and quality of implementation in the pilot forces.
Interventions
The pilot training consisting of:
The intended focus of the pilot training was:
Outcome Measures
Primary outcomes:
Officers’ knowledge (online survey)
Officers attitudes (online survey)
Officers’ anticipated behaviours in written scenarios (online survey)
Secondary outcomes:
Monitored data (direction of change was not hypothesised)
Summary of Findings
The impact of the pilot was mixed overall. The pilot training had some small positive effects on officers’ knowledge, attitudes and anticipated behaviours immediately after the training was delivered. Some of these effects were sustained at a three-month follow-up. No effects were found on recorded stop and search practices (ie, the quality of written grounds for search or arrest rates). Substantial variation was found in training delivered by the pilot forces, although this was possibly because the trainer guidance was not sufficiently prescriptive.
Link to infographic?
Date last updated
Monday 25 June 2018
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