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Police Scotland admits stop-search data 'not accurate' Police Scotland admits stop-search data 'not accurate'
(35 minutes later)
Police Scotland's chief constable said the force had not wanted to release stop-and-search data because it was "not fit for public consumption".Police Scotland's chief constable said the force had not wanted to release stop-and-search data because it was "not fit for public consumption".
Sir Stephen House told a special meeting of the police watchdog, the Scottish Police Authority, that he was forced to release the data.Sir Stephen House told a special meeting of the police watchdog, the Scottish Police Authority, that he was forced to release the data.
It was released to the BBC under freedom of information legislation. It was given to the BBC under freedom of information legislation.
BBC Scotland revealed police had not discontinued searching under-12s as they had promised in June last year.BBC Scotland revealed police had not discontinued searching under-12s as they had promised in June last year.
Sir Stephen said: "This information was released under the freedom of information act on the express instruction of the Freedom of Information Commissioner in Scotland. Police said they shared concerns about the capacity of younger children to give "informed consent" to be searched.
"We challenged whether it should be released because we were not 100% certain of the accuracy, we wanted more time to work on it. We were told 'no, release it now'. The Scottish Police Authority meeting was called after BBC Scotland reported that the data released by Police Scotland had shown 356 children aged under 12 had been subject to "consensual" searches, despite assurances from the force that the practice would cease.
"It wasn't a consensual release, it was a legislation release."
The meeting was called after BBC Scotland reported that the data released by Police Scotland had shown 356 children aged under 12 had been subject to "consensual" searches, despite assurances from the force that the practice would cease.
The chief constable said: "I think the BBC reported it as accurately as they could do.The chief constable said: "I think the BBC reported it as accurately as they could do.
"But the data was not 100% accurate and needed further interpretation.""But the data was not 100% accurate and needed further interpretation."
Assistant Chief Constable Nelson Telfer said analysis of the figures now suggested that only 18 of the searches had been contrary to force policy. The BBC was not told that the figures from the police were inaccurate when they were released.
It emerged during the meeting that the police force had also failed to tell the watchdog about its concerns over the data.
Senior officers blamed a "clunky" ICT system and problems with the recording of incidents for the inaccuracies.
Analysis
By Marc Ellison, BBC Scotland data journalist
The acquisition of the 2014 stop-search data by BBC Scotland took many months, and was only finally released after an intervention by the Scottish Information Commissioner.
Chief Constable Sir Stephen House has now called the data "inaccurate" - data that should never have been released to the media.
In its defence, Police Scotland did acknowledge in mid-2014 that thousands of records had been corrupted.
In an October 2014 letter, the force stated that "the data assurance work is not due for completion until December 2014".
The stop-search data was finally received by BBC Scotland in mid-January 2014 - at which point no mention was made of any residual errors in the data.
The accompanying note only had one caveat - to disregard any ages outwith 1-90.
Friday's meeting between Police Scotland and the force watchdog has raised some alarming issues.
Firstly, that the stop-search database is a "clunky" and error-ridden system. This revelation will cast a long shadow, putting into doubt any further stop-search statistics released by the force.
Secondly - and perhaps more disturbingly - Police Scotland said they would not have volunteered the data, but were only compelled to by the Information Commissioner.
This could raise concerns over what data Police Scotland will willingly release through freedom of information laws in the future.
Assistant Chief Constable Nelson Telfer told the Scottish Police Authority analysis of the figures now suggested that only 18 of the searches had been contrary to force policy.
A number of searches had been carried out under legislative powers, while others had taken place when a parent or guardian was present.A number of searches had been carried out under legislative powers, while others had taken place when a parent or guardian was present.
He said IT problems with data collection meant many other incidents of consensual stop-searches of children had been incorrectly recorded.He said IT problems with data collection meant many other incidents of consensual stop-searches of children had been incorrectly recorded.
The chief constable said IT problems had been identified before the data was released to the BBC.The chief constable said IT problems had been identified before the data was released to the BBC.
Following questions on why the Scottish Police Authority was not made aware of the 18 searches until now, Sir Stephen said he accepted that Police Scotland "made mistakes".Following questions on why the Scottish Police Authority was not made aware of the 18 searches until now, Sir Stephen said he accepted that Police Scotland "made mistakes".
The chief constable began the meeting by calling for a non-partisan debate on the issue of stop-search powers. Following the SPA meeting, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie called for an independent audit of police stop-and-search figures.
Mr Rennie said: "This has reached such a level of farce that people will find it difficult to believe anything police high command are telling us.
"There are now major questions over their recording practices. It is nonsense to claim that the information commissioner compelled them to publish inaccurate figures. This requires an independent audit."
Sir Stephen had begun the meeting by calling for a non-partisan debate on the issue of stop-search powers.
He said the policy would continue to be an emotive issue.He said the policy would continue to be an emotive issue.
A balance had to be struck between the rights of the individual and ensuring the community was kept safe, Sir Stephen said.A balance had to be struck between the rights of the individual and ensuring the community was kept safe, Sir Stephen said.
The police intend to consult on ending non-statutory or "consensual" stop-and-search for all age groups.The police intend to consult on ending non-statutory or "consensual" stop-and-search for all age groups.
No powers
But they believe this will leave gaps in their ability to protect the public that must be filled.But they believe this will leave gaps in their ability to protect the public that must be filled.
Illegal items Deputy Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick told the SPA meeting police have no powers to search young people for alcohol.
Tackling under-age drinking and the anti-social behaviour and crime associated with it is one potential problem. She said that was a "gap" which the force would like to see plugged.
At the moment, officers can confiscate alcohol from under-18s but have no specific power to search for it. She said just over a third of all consensual stop-searches were related to alcohol, about 40% of which were carried out on young people aged under 18.
The police would like the law changed to grant them that power before they give up "consensual" searches.
Officers have statutory powers to stop-and-search for illegal items such as guns, knives or drugs.
But they make much wider use of a non-statutory power to search people who give their consent.
Of the 640,699 searches recorded by Police Scotland in its first year, alcohol was the main reason for almost a third of them.
Of the 201,126 alcohol-related searches, most of which were non-statutory, about 40% involved under-18s.
In 25,846 cases, young people stopped and searched by police were carrying alcohol.
But concerns have been raised about the capacity of younger children to give informed consent to be searched.
Last June, Police Scotland said it would stop "consensual" searches on children under the age of 12.
Last week, there was an outcry at Holyrood after the police data was released to the BBC.