Could you be the new Northamptonshire Stop and Search Working Group co-chair?

Northamptonshire’s Stop & Search Working Group has announced that it currently has a vacancy for a volunteer co-chair.

The Stop & Search Working Group is a vital community forum attended by members of the community from across Northamptonshire, working together with police leaders to review and hold the Force to account in its use of stop and search and improve the force’s ethical, proportionate use of the tool.

The successful candidate for this role will work with the police chair, Superintendent Dennis Murray, to deliver the aims of the group.

Superintendent Murray, said: “Northamptonshire Police is committed to working with the community to ensure that the force uses stop and search powers in an effective and ethical way, and are accountable and open to scrutiny in the use of these powers. 

“We are currently looking for a co-chair who will represent the group both internally to police staff and externally. This person will be able to attend regular meetings and will also be an advocate for the fair and proportionate use of stop & search.”

This is a voluntary role with no financial recompense.

Applicants should write no more than a 300 word statement for each question below and send their answers to [email protected].

1. Why do you want to co-chair the group? 

2. What relevant experience and knowledge about Stop & Search issues do you have?

3. What involvement within your community do you have that would assist you as the chair of this group?

4. What relevant skills do you have in order to undertake the role as specified in the job description below?

Duties.

• To chair meetings of the Stop & Search Working Group panel including agreeing with the Police Chair attendees, agenda items, panel discussion items and participants

• To represent the Stop and Search Working Group both internally to police staff and externally

• In support of the aims of the group to liaise with the media alongside the Police chair

• To follow up agenda item action points 

• To discuss, agree with members of the Stop and Search Working Group any issues in relation to stop and search  and refer them to the Reasonable Grounds Panel for consideration

• Support the police chair in the collation of evidence for all HMIC visits and inspections regimes supported by Northamptonshire Police Corporate services

• Chairs to attend regular meetings with the Assistant Chief Constable that relate to issues of concern about either use of powers or any issues raised from the Panel

• Assist in the planning and delivery of annual feedback events across the whole county as to the working partnership between the Police and these two strategic/operational structures