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Police stop-and-search forms cut Police stop-and-search forms cut
(about 3 hours later)
Police officers will no longer have to fill out lengthy forms when they stop and search people in the street, the home secretary will announce.Police officers will no longer have to fill out lengthy forms when they stop and search people in the street, the home secretary will announce.
The forms have been criticised for being complicated and bureaucratic.The forms have been criticised for being complicated and bureaucratic.
Alan Johnson will say that in future only the ethnicity of the person stopped and the reason why will have to be recorded.Alan Johnson will say that in future only the ethnicity of the person stopped and the reason why will have to be recorded.
He will make the announcement at the Police Superintendents' Association annual conference on Wednesday.He will make the announcement at the Police Superintendents' Association annual conference on Wednesday.
This move will save 200,000 hours of officers' time a year, the home secretary will say.This move will save 200,000 hours of officers' time a year, the home secretary will say.
The forms were a response to the Macpherson Report into the death of the black teenager Stephen Lawrence.The forms were a response to the Macpherson Report into the death of the black teenager Stephen Lawrence.
At the moment, officers carrying out a stop-and-search have to fill out a detailed form, regardless of whether there is an arrest.At the moment, officers carrying out a stop-and-search have to fill out a detailed form, regardless of whether there is an arrest.
As well as recording someone's name and why they have been stopped, officers currently also have to answer in writing a series of questions including whether anything was found and if any damage or injury was caused.As well as recording someone's name and why they have been stopped, officers currently also have to answer in writing a series of questions including whether anything was found and if any damage or injury was caused.
Mr Johnson believes in the majority of cases, most of this information is unnecessary and a waste of police time.Mr Johnson believes in the majority of cases, most of this information is unnecessary and a waste of police time.
And combined with other measures to reduce police red-tape, he will claim the government has so far cut more than a million hours of unnecessary paperwork.And combined with other measures to reduce police red-tape, he will claim the government has so far cut more than a million hours of unnecessary paperwork.