News

PEOPLE in Barnsley are six times more likely to be stopped and searched by police than in Rotherham – and almost twice as likely as in Sheffield.

A report submitted to the Police Authority says more than 18,000 were stopped and searched in South Yorkshire, many of them in Barnsley.

Assistant Chief Constable Andy Holt said: “The figures do reveal there is a greater likelihood to use that tactic in Barnsley.

''But our commanders out on the ground have a fair amount of discretion as to what policing techniques they use.

“Certainly they have been very effective in Barnsley, using it to tackle some of the emerging drug problems that they have got there.

''We have a particular problem around the use of M-Kat and we are very effective at using stop and search going into nightclubs and the night time economy.

“Whilst I wouldn’t suggest that it is the entire reason for the disparity in the figures that certainly counts for a large proportion.''

Despite it being an intrusive tactic, he said the force received very few complaints about it.