Official figures from Northumbria Police show that 5,222 people were stopped and searched during 2020, which is equivalent to a rate of 362 per 100,000 people.Official figures from Northumbria Police show that 5,222 people were stopped and searched during 2020, which is equivalent to a rate of 362 per 100,000 people.
Official figures from Northumbria Police show that 5,222 people were stopped and searched during 2020, which is equivalent to a rate of 362 per 100,000 people.

Northumbria Police used stop and search on thousands of people during lockdown last year – here’s who they stopped and why

Although we may have been in lockdown or staying indoors more often than usual for a large chunk of 2020, this didn’t stop thousands of people being stopped and searched by police across parts of the North East last year.

Official figures from Northumbria Police show that 5,222 people were stopped and searched during 2020, which is equivalent to a rate of 362 per 100,000 people. That was a 14% increase in comparison to 2019’s figures.

The figures reveal the objects police were looking for – from drugs to weapons to stolen goods – but not what they actually found, although they do tell us how many searches led to an arrest.

So what do we know about stop and search by Northumbria Police? Here we reveal everything you need to know.