Police Scotland search figures tumble by three-quarters

According to the latest figures, a total of 20,916 people were searched in June-July 2015, down from 84,144 over the same period in 2014.

However, a spokesperson for the police force claimed it was “not appropriate” to compare the figures as its internal practices had changed and some of the older data is not reliable.

The figures were published as the force began searching for a new chief constable to replace Sir Stephen House, who will step down by December 2015.

Research published in June suggested that stop and search figures are falling in Scotland, but the practice remains far more common than south of the border.

It said seven of the top ten UK police divisions likely to use stop and search were in Scotland.

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Police Scotland has been working through a substantial programme of improvement around the use and recording of stop and search.

“It is not appropriate to compare the new stop and search data against the historical data.

“The number of stop searches has dropped every year of Police Scotland and the number of stop searches carried out in the final years of the eight legacy forces was higher than the first year of Police Scotland.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish government added: “Stop and search has led to the seizures of dangerous weapons, alcohol, drugs and stolen goods.

“We recognise how important it is to get the balance right between protecting the public and the rights of the individual.”