WEST Yorkshire Police will implement two key elements of the Government’s Best Use of Stop and Search scheme, starting today.

The voluntary scheme, announced by Home Secretary Theresa May in April, is designed to deliver better and more intelligence-led stop and search, significantly reduce its overall use, and improve stop-to-arrest ratios.

From today, police will record all outcomes on whether there is a connection between the grounds for the search and the outcome, and restrict the use of Section 60 “no suspicion” powers.

By November, the force will fully comply with the scheme by giving the public the opportunity to observe stop and search in practice, and introducing a community complaints trigger.

Temporary assistant chief constable Andy Battle said: “The scheme will ensure that we continue to make improvements in the way we use our stop and search powers, and we welcome the greater transparency and public accountability this will bring.”

Mark Burns-Williamson, Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire, said: “Stop and Search needs to be intelligence-led, used proportionately, sensitively and fairly, and those stopped should clearly understand the reason for the search.”