Cambs and Peterborough Crime commissioner says officers ‘frightened’ to use stop and search powers due to potential complaints
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) has admitted that police officers in the county are often afraid to use their stop and search powers.
A police and crime panel meeting took place in Peterborough on September 24 which saw local authority representatives across the region quiz PCC Darryl Preston on his work around early intervention and prevention of crime.
A report presented to members noted that, in 2024/25, 932 days of additional police patrols provided over 7,000 hours of visible policing, which it said resulted in 244 extra arrests, a 50 per cent reduction in anti-social behaviour in Peterborough and a 30 per cent reduction in serious violence in Huntingdon.
It also noted that 215 extra stop searches were carried out and anti-social behaviour powers were used on 242 occasions.
Despite this PCC Preston told members of the panel that, while he was a big supporter of stop searches as a preventative tool, police officers were “frightened” to use these powers because they might get a complaint.
He said: “I’m very clear with the chief constable that police officers should use all the powers they have as long as they are done legitimately, lawfully, necessarily and proportionately.”
PCC Preston admitted he was “sometimes staggered” by how few stop searches were carried out nowadays compared to when he was in the force.
In 2025/26 Cambridgeshire Constabulary received a further £1 million national funding to boost policing in crime and disorder hotspots.
Peterborough city councillor Chris Wiggin of the Hampton Vale ward asked PCC Preston for assurance that the funding was deterring the problems rather than moving it from the city centre into the suburbs.
PCC Preston said: “I completely agree. There is no point in just moving the problem on.
“Which is why not only are the police carrying out initiatives with younger people, their families and schools. But, for example, deploying youth workers with the police. That is the bit for me that will stop this, rather than just moving it on.
“I’m reassured that the constabulary and partners are effectively dealing with this or effectively dealing with that sum of money we’ve got to deal with tackling hotspot ASB areas.”
Cambridgeshire Constabulary says it is refreshing its prevention and problem-solving strategy in line with the 2025 National Police Chiefs’ Council Prevention Strategy.
Its strategic aim is that:
• Victims and offenders are provided with a policing response that includes prevention and problem-solving from future harm.
• ‘Every contact counts’ – every interaction with perpetrators and victims is treated as an opportunity to prevent future harm using a wide variety of diversionary and rehabilitative tools.
• Full use is made of criminal and civil order to proactively protect victims and communities and to prevent reoffending
• The constabulary work with partners to address root causes of criminal behaviour, removing drivers, triggers and enablers of offending behaviour.
• The constabulary provide contextualised, problem-solving policing and partnership responses to communities to reduce crime, disorder and community concerns using a ‘People, Places, Space’ approach.