The Reasonable Suspicion Element of PACE Stop and Search Police Powers in the UK

The Reasonable Suspicion Element of PACE
Stop and Search Police Powers in the UK

Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Discussion..................................................................................................................................3
Introduction to PACE and its provisions...............................................................................3
Reasonable suspicion.............................................................................................................4
Section 60 and its impact on BAME communities................................................................5
Racial discrimination and PACE 1984..................................................................................5
Factors affecting racial discrimination...................................................................................6
Supporting statistics...............................................................................................................7
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................9
References..................................................................................................................................9

Introduction
PACE stands for Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) and the codes of practice
which accompany the law. This law aims at establishing the powers of the police department
of the UK and keeping the rights of the common public protected at the same time. It
maintains a balance between the two. The codes of practice included under PACE are stop
and search, detention, arrest, identification, investigation and interviewing the detainees1. The
Code A of PACE allows the police of the UK to stop and search a vehicle or a person without
making an arrest initially. The report will discuss the PACE in detail and its significance for
the police department as well the common public of the UK. The main question which will be
answered in this section of report is “whether the reasonable suspicion element of PACE Stop
and search police powers in the UK”. More specifically, the Code A of PACE, related to stop
and search will be discussed in detail in this report and it will be checked whether this law is
practically applicable for all or some sections of the society have special or no privileges
regarding the same. It will also discuss whether the blacks and whites are equally treated
while the implementation of this law. This report will support the claim that the BAME
citizens are most likely stopped by police on behalf of suspicion than the white counterparts.
One of the main reasons for this issue is Section 60 which allows the police department of the
country to stop and search people belonging to any community without any suspicion.
Discussion
Introduction to PACE and its provisions
As mentioned above, PACE allows the police constable of UK to stop and search any of the
citizens of UK if they find them suspicious for the following incidences or activities:
1 Crown, 'Police And Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) Codes Of Practice' (GOV.UK, 2018)
<https://www.gov.uk/guidance/police-and-criminal-evidence-act-1984-pace-codes-of-practice#overview>
accessed 6 December 2018.