liberty central's civil liberties hero of the week: Hampshire police
Hampshire police have suspended its use of stop and search after reviewing 2007/8 figures which showed that despite using section 44 powers on more than 3,400 occasions, they arrested no one connected with terrorist activity.
Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 allows the police to search anyone in a designated area without any suspicion that an offence has occurred. Its use has proved controversial, with civil liberties campaigners arguing it is too broadly drafted and there have been widespread accusations that the power has been abused by police forces across the UK. Just last month the government's anti-terror law watchdog, Lord Carlile, criticised the use of stop and search powers, claiming thousands of people were being stopped in order to "produce a racial balance" to the figures.
Will other police forces follow Hampshire's welcome lead?