STOP and search was used more than 200 times in Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich in the first four months of 2020, according to new figures.

The police tactic allows officers to search an individual who may be carrying an item used in criminal activity, without having to arrest them.

It is widely used across the country and regarded as a key tactic for keeping communities safe, although it is controversial, with figures showing that black people are more likely to be stopped and searched by officers than individuals from other ethnicities.

READ > Black people 8 times more likely to be stopped and searched by Cheshire Police

Latest figures from the police.uk website show how much the tactic has been used in communities across mid Cheshire up to April.

The data is split up into geographical areas which matched the borough council wards used until May 2019.

It shows that a total of 203 searches took place across Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich in the first four months of 2020.

Almost half of those were for controlled drugs, with 101 searches used to find them.

Stop and searches were most common in Winnington and Castle, which includes Northwich town centre, where 46 took place from January to April.

In contrast, the tactic was least common in Witton and Rudheath, and Marbury, which each had five stop and searches.

NORTHWICH

Winnington and Castle:

  • January – seven searches (five for controlled drugs, one for stolen goods and one for an offensive weapon)
  • February – four searches (three for controlled drugs, one for an article used in theft)
  • March – 18 searches (15 for controlled drugs, two for articles used in theft, one for an offensive weapon)
  • April – 17 searches (16 for controlled drugs, one for stolen goods)
  • TOTAL – 46 searches (39 for controlled drugs, two for stolen goods, two for offensive weapons, three for articles used in theft)

Marbury:

  • January – zero searches
  • February – one search (article used in theft)
  • March – zero searches
  • April – four searches (two for controlled drugs, two for articles used in theft)
  • TOTAL – five searches (two for controlled drugs, three for articles used in theft)

Witton and Rudheath:

  • January – one search (controlled drugs)
  • February – one search (controlled drugs)
  • March – two searches (two for controlled drugs)
  • April – one search (controlled drugs)
  • TOTAL – five searches (five for controlled drugs)

Shakerley:

  • January – eight searches (five for articles used in criminal damage, one for fireworks, two other)
  • February – seven searches (three for articles used in criminal damage, two for controlled drugs, two other)
  • March – one search (controlled drugs)
  • April – one search (controlled drugs)
  • TOTAL – 17 searches (four for controlled drugs, eight for articles used in criminal damage, one for fireworks, four other)

Davenham and Moulton:

  • January – 12 searches (five for articles used in criminal damage, five for controlled drugs, two other)
  • February – seven searches (six for articles used in criminal damage, one for an article used in theft)
  • March – three searches (two for controlled drugs, one for stolen goods)
  • April – five searches (five for controlled drugs)
  • TOTAL – 28 searches (12 for controlled drugs, 11 for articles used in criminal damage, one for stolen goods, one for an article used in theft, two other)

Hartford and Greenbank:

  • January – two searches (two for controlled drugs)
  • February – five searches (four for offensive weapons, one for stolen goods)
  • March – two searches (one for controlled drugs, one for an offensive weapon)
  • April – 10 searches (nine for controlled drugs, one for an article used in theft)
  • TOTAL – 19 searches (12 for controlled drugs, one for stolen goods, five for offensive weapons, one for an article used in theft)

Weaver and Cuddington:

  • January – one search (controlled drugs)
  • February – one search (controlled drugs)
  • March – one search (controlled drugs)
  • April – four searches (four for controlled drugs)
  • TOTAL – seven searches (seven for controlled drugs)

WINSFORD AND MIDDLEWICH

Wharton:

  • January – zero searches
  • February – seven searches (four for articles used in criminal damage, one for an article used in theft, two other)
  • March – two searches (one for controlled drugs, one for an offensive weapon)
  • April – two searches (two for controlled drugs)
  • TOTAL – 11 searches (three for controlled drugs, four for articles used in criminal damage, one for an offensive weapon, one for an article used in theft, two other)

Swanlow and Dene:

  • January – eight searches (six for offensive weapons, two for controlled drugs)
  • February – two searches (two for controlled drugs)
  • March – 11 searches (eight for controlled drugs, two for articles used in criminal damage, one for stolen goods)
  • April – seven searches (five for controlled drugs, two for articles used in criminal damage)
  • TOTAL – 28 searches (17 for controlled drugs, six for offensive weapons, four for articles used in criminal damage, one for stolen goods)

Over and Verdin:

  • January – four searches (three for controlled drugs, one for an offensive weapon)
  • February – four searches (three for controlled drugs, one for an offensive weapon)
  • March – two searches (two for an offensive weapon)
  • April – six searches (four for controlled drugs, one for an offensive weapon, one for an article used in criminal damage)
  • TOTAL – 16 searches (10 for controlled drugs, five for offensive weapons, one for an article used in criminal damage)

Middlewich:

  • January – two searches (one for an article used in theft, one for controlled drugs)
  • February – one search (controlled drugs)
  • March – three searches (two for articles used in theft, one for controlled drugs)
  • April – 15 searches (11 for controlled drugs, three for articles used in theft, one for an offensive weapon)
  • TOTAL – 21 searches (14 for controlled drugs, six for articles used in theft, one for an offensive weapon)