Stop and search powers could be increased as police battle rising violent crime across UK

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “We need to put the fear back on the criminal and take the fear off the community.” open image in gallery Sajid Javid, home secretary, is distancing himself from restrictions put on stop and search by Theresa May in 2014 Mr Cooke, whose force has increased the number of stop and searches carried out by 50 per cent over the past year, said the tactic had been unfairly “demonised”, causing officers to fear official complaints. The National Police Chiefs’ Council said forces have made “good progress” on using stop and search legitimately, fairly and more effectively since reforms were introduced in 2014 by the then home secretary Theresa May. It currently gives police the power to stop and search people and vehicles with “reasonable grounds for suspecting that they will find stolen or prohibited articles”. A Home Office spokesperson said: “As outlined in the serious violent crime strategy we are looking at ways to strengthen police powers to identify individuals carrying corrosive substances.”