StopWatch
@stopwatchuk.bsky.social
An independent organisation using research, policy advocacy, litigation, and community engagement to understand the impacts of disproportionate policing and hold forces to account
Contact | info@stop-watch.org
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Contact | info@stop-watch.org
Donate | https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/18388
Pinned
November 2025: Abolition is possible... for PCCs
Role introduced to bring greater democratic accountability to policing ditched, while a tragic violent incident brings yet more talk of ramping up stop and search
open.substack.com
November 2025 newsletter: PCCs getting phased out, while suspicion-free stop and searches yielding massive racial disparities in London) come back into vogue
open.substack.com/pub/stopwatc...
open.substack.com/pub/stopwatc...
Reposted by StopWatch
UPDATE 🚨
The govt have launched their long-awaited consultation on police use of facial recognition.
But they want to expand it to every town centre.
Why are they making this decision before the public has even had the chance to tell them what they think?
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...
The govt have launched their long-awaited consultation on police use of facial recognition.
But they want to expand it to every town centre.
Why are they making this decision before the public has even had the chance to tell them what they think?
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...
Facial recognition to be expanded in fresh crime crackdown
Critics called on the government to limit roll-out of facial recognition, but others have urged ministers to accelerate the expansion to ‘boost safety’
www.independent.co.uk
December 4, 2025 at 11:17 AM
UPDATE 🚨
The govt have launched their long-awaited consultation on police use of facial recognition.
But they want to expand it to every town centre.
Why are they making this decision before the public has even had the chance to tell them what they think?
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...
The govt have launched their long-awaited consultation on police use of facial recognition.
But they want to expand it to every town centre.
Why are they making this decision before the public has even had the chance to tell them what they think?
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...
Reposted by StopWatch
Just out: our report on #spycops boss Ben Gunn at the public inquiry. Managers have a lot to cover so reports are very long reads, but well worth it. Incredible admissions from Gunn: 'There was no legal basis for a lot of the work we were doing'
campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2025/12/02/u...
campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2025/12/02/u...
UCPI Daily Report, 20 Oct 2025: Dennis ‘Ben’ Gunn evidence
A long-read report on the Undercover Policing Inquiry questioning Dennis 'Ben 'Gunn, the Met Special Branch commander of operations 1988-91
campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com
December 2, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Just out: our report on #spycops boss Ben Gunn at the public inquiry. Managers have a lot to cover so reports are very long reads, but well worth it. Incredible admissions from Gunn: 'There was no legal basis for a lot of the work we were doing'
campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2025/12/02/u...
campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2025/12/02/u...
Reposted by StopWatch
Senior officers who ran the #spycops unit that infiltrated Black justice campaigns were 'horribly & incredibly' racist, a whistleblower has told the public inquiry.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Two Met officers running spycops unit were ‘incredibly racist’, inquiry told
Undercover unit monitored Stephen Lawrence’s family, as well as thousands of mainly leftwing political activists
www.theguardian.com
December 2, 2025 at 6:23 AM
Senior officers who ran the #spycops unit that infiltrated Black justice campaigns were 'horribly & incredibly' racist, a whistleblower has told the public inquiry.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
November 2025 newsletter: PCCs getting phased out, while suspicion-free stop and searches yielding massive racial disparities in London) come back into vogue
open.substack.com/pub/stopwatc...
open.substack.com/pub/stopwatc...
November 2025: Abolition is possible... for PCCs
Role introduced to bring greater democratic accountability to policing ditched, while a tragic violent incident brings yet more talk of ramping up stop and search
open.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 7:11 AM
November 2025 newsletter: PCCs getting phased out, while suspicion-free stop and searches yielding massive racial disparities in London) come back into vogue
open.substack.com/pub/stopwatc...
open.substack.com/pub/stopwatc...
Reposted by StopWatch
Police tech doesn't predict crime. It predicts policing.
Fed on flawed police data, so-called 'crime-predicting' tech automates racism and discrimination against overpoliced communities.
The Safety Not Surveillance coalition spread the word.
Sign up ➡️ action.openrightsgroup.org/join-fight-a...
Fed on flawed police data, so-called 'crime-predicting' tech automates racism and discrimination against overpoliced communities.
The Safety Not Surveillance coalition spread the word.
Sign up ➡️ action.openrightsgroup.org/join-fight-a...
November 28, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Police tech doesn't predict crime. It predicts policing.
Fed on flawed police data, so-called 'crime-predicting' tech automates racism and discrimination against overpoliced communities.
The Safety Not Surveillance coalition spread the word.
Sign up ➡️ action.openrightsgroup.org/join-fight-a...
Fed on flawed police data, so-called 'crime-predicting' tech automates racism and discrimination against overpoliced communities.
The Safety Not Surveillance coalition spread the word.
Sign up ➡️ action.openrightsgroup.org/join-fight-a...
Reposted by StopWatch
Last week the Safety Not Surveillance coalition hit the streets of London.
We sent the message that so-called 'crime-predicting' tech must be BANNED!
Because we have the right to be presumed innocent, not predicted guilty.
Sign up for campaign updates ➡️ action.openrightsgroup.org/join-fight-a...
We sent the message that so-called 'crime-predicting' tech must be BANNED!
Because we have the right to be presumed innocent, not predicted guilty.
Sign up for campaign updates ➡️ action.openrightsgroup.org/join-fight-a...
November 27, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Last week the Safety Not Surveillance coalition hit the streets of London.
We sent the message that so-called 'crime-predicting' tech must be BANNED!
Because we have the right to be presumed innocent, not predicted guilty.
Sign up for campaign updates ➡️ action.openrightsgroup.org/join-fight-a...
We sent the message that so-called 'crime-predicting' tech must be BANNED!
Because we have the right to be presumed innocent, not predicted guilty.
Sign up for campaign updates ➡️ action.openrightsgroup.org/join-fight-a...
Reposted by StopWatch
We've written to the Home Secretary and Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council raising our concerns that guidance encouraging police forces to disclose the ethnicity and nationality of suspects charged in high-profile cases is having a devastating impact on our country.
Police disclosing suspects’ ethnicity is fuelling prejudice, say campaigners
Fifty groups write letter calling for policy in high-profile cases in England and Wales to be scrapped
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:15 AM
We've written to the Home Secretary and Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council raising our concerns that guidance encouraging police forces to disclose the ethnicity and nationality of suspects charged in high-profile cases is having a devastating impact on our country.
⚠️ Interesting fact about the use of force figures published yesterday: available police records indicate no violence detected amongst individuals subjected to use of force in almost half of all incidents. Click the link to read more www.stop-watch.org/news-opinion...
Use of force: no violence necessary
New estimates shed light on profiles of individuals subjected to force
www.stop-watch.org
November 21, 2025 at 2:06 PM
⚠️ Interesting fact about the use of force figures published yesterday: available police records indicate no violence detected amongst individuals subjected to use of force in almost half of all incidents. Click the link to read more www.stop-watch.org/news-opinion...
Reposted by StopWatch
So-called “crime predicting” technology risks creating mass human rights violations.
We deserve real safety, not more surveillance.
Sign up for updates ➡️ action.openrightsgroup.org/join-fight-a...
@amnestyuk.bsky.social @medact.bsky.social @stopwatchuk.bsky.social @migrantsrights.bsky.social
We deserve real safety, not more surveillance.
Sign up for updates ➡️ action.openrightsgroup.org/join-fight-a...
@amnestyuk.bsky.social @medact.bsky.social @stopwatchuk.bsky.social @migrantsrights.bsky.social
Join the fight against crime-predicting tech
Why is this important? The police say AI will make us safer. The truth? It automates injustice and racism. Predictive policing tools don’t predict crime — they predict policing. Built on flawed police...
action.openrightsgroup.org
November 20, 2025 at 4:17 PM
So-called “crime predicting” technology risks creating mass human rights violations.
We deserve real safety, not more surveillance.
Sign up for updates ➡️ action.openrightsgroup.org/join-fight-a...
@amnestyuk.bsky.social @medact.bsky.social @stopwatchuk.bsky.social @migrantsrights.bsky.social
We deserve real safety, not more surveillance.
Sign up for updates ➡️ action.openrightsgroup.org/join-fight-a...
@amnestyuk.bsky.social @medact.bsky.social @stopwatchuk.bsky.social @migrantsrights.bsky.social
*NEWS* 'Stop and search, arrests, and mental health detentions, March 2025' shows a small decrease in stop-search volumes by the higher suspicion-led standard (section 1), in contrast to creeping rises in suspicionless searches (section 60, section 342E, section 11) 🧵 www.gov.uk/government/s...
Stop and search, arrests, and mental health detentions, March 2025
Statistics on stop and search, arrests for notifiable offences. This release will also include statistics on detentions under Section 135 and Section 136 of the Mental Health Act previously included i...
www.gov.uk
November 6, 2025 at 9:38 AM
*NEWS* 'Stop and search, arrests, and mental health detentions, March 2025' shows a small decrease in stop-search volumes by the higher suspicion-led standard (section 1), in contrast to creeping rises in suspicionless searches (section 60, section 342E, section 11) 🧵 www.gov.uk/government/s...
Reposted by StopWatch
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bristol-co...
Join us at the #ECC on 6/11/25 from 18:30 to 20:30 for a community meeting on predictive policing and stop and search. Share your thoughts on their impact in our neighborhoods. #WeCopWatch
Join us at the #ECC on 6/11/25 from 18:30 to 20:30 for a community meeting on predictive policing and stop and search. Share your thoughts on their impact in our neighborhoods. #WeCopWatch
November 1, 2025 at 4:38 PM
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bristol-co...
Join us at the #ECC on 6/11/25 from 18:30 to 20:30 for a community meeting on predictive policing and stop and search. Share your thoughts on their impact in our neighborhoods. #WeCopWatch
Join us at the #ECC on 6/11/25 from 18:30 to 20:30 for a community meeting on predictive policing and stop and search. Share your thoughts on their impact in our neighborhoods. #WeCopWatch
Reposted by StopWatch
DS Derek Ridgewell, a police officer known to have framed at least 13 Londoners, may have set up more than 100 innocent victims metro.co.uk/2025/11/01/r...
Racist police officer may have framed 100 innocent people
DS Derek Ridgewell targeted mostly black people in the 1970s, who he falsely accused of robbery and beat up if they tried to resist arrest, before fabricating a semi-confession and lying on oath so th...
metro.co.uk
November 2, 2025 at 8:35 AM
DS Derek Ridgewell, a police officer known to have framed at least 13 Londoners, may have set up more than 100 innocent victims metro.co.uk/2025/11/01/r...
Reposted by StopWatch
"There appears to be a growing pattern of undercover officers raising mental ill-health as a reason that they should not attend the inquiry to give oral evidence" www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Doreen Lawrence calls for ‘cowardly’ undercover officer to face public inquiry
Mother of murdered teenager to challenge ruling that David Hagan is too ill to give live evidence at spycops inquiry
www.theguardian.com
November 2, 2025 at 11:03 AM
"There appears to be a growing pattern of undercover officers raising mental ill-health as a reason that they should not attend the inquiry to give oral evidence" www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Reposted by StopWatch
🚨LIVE FACIAL RECOGNITION IS EXPANDING
The Home Office told us they’d consider a legal framework to govern it’s use.
But what we’re seeing is a rapid rollout - and no safeguards to protect us.
🧵
The Home Office told us they’d consider a legal framework to govern it’s use.
But what we’re seeing is a rapid rollout - and no safeguards to protect us.
🧵
October 30, 2025 at 5:42 PM
🚨LIVE FACIAL RECOGNITION IS EXPANDING
The Home Office told us they’d consider a legal framework to govern it’s use.
But what we’re seeing is a rapid rollout - and no safeguards to protect us.
🧵
The Home Office told us they’d consider a legal framework to govern it’s use.
But what we’re seeing is a rapid rollout - and no safeguards to protect us.
🧵
October 2025 newsletter: Haunted by the ghosts of racists past
It may be Halloween, but there is still nothing scarier than a lack of accountability and transparency for a police force given ever more powers and lethal weaponry
open.substack.com/pub/stopwatc...
It may be Halloween, but there is still nothing scarier than a lack of accountability and transparency for a police force given ever more powers and lethal weaponry
open.substack.com/pub/stopwatc...
October 2025: Haunted by the ghosts of racists past
Police ramp up racism for Black History Month, also get the green light to change the record on leniency granted for killing civilians
open.substack.com
October 31, 2025 at 9:01 AM
October 2025 newsletter: Haunted by the ghosts of racists past
It may be Halloween, but there is still nothing scarier than a lack of accountability and transparency for a police force given ever more powers and lethal weaponry
open.substack.com/pub/stopwatc...
It may be Halloween, but there is still nothing scarier than a lack of accountability and transparency for a police force given ever more powers and lethal weaponry
open.substack.com/pub/stopwatc...
Today (18 October) marks 15 years of StopWatch. In that time, stop and search volumes have halved, and scrutiny of police conduct has become a central issue, but more needs to be done in these uncertain times. Please consider making a donation 🙏
www.crowdjustice.com/case/15-year...
www.crowdjustice.com/case/15-year...
15 years of StopWatch: An urgent appeal
We need your help to continue campaigning for a world in which all communities can thrive without fear of disproportionate violence and threat
www.crowdjustice.com
October 18, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Today (18 October) marks 15 years of StopWatch. In that time, stop and search volumes have halved, and scrutiny of police conduct has become a central issue, but more needs to be done in these uncertain times. Please consider making a donation 🙏
www.crowdjustice.com/case/15-year...
www.crowdjustice.com/case/15-year...
Two years after the Casey review, four(?) years after the Police Race Action Plan was first set up, 20+ years after the MacPherson report was published, etc, etc... and here we are with another 'damning review' of police racism.
Well done, good job all round 👏👏
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Well done, good job all round 👏👏
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
‘Damning’ review of anti-Black racism within Met police ‘buried’ by force
Exclusive: external consultancy report found discrimination ‘baked into HR systems’ at London force
www.theguardian.com
October 16, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Two years after the Casey review, four(?) years after the Police Race Action Plan was first set up, 20+ years after the MacPherson report was published, etc, etc... and here we are with another 'damning review' of police racism.
Well done, good job all round 👏👏
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Well done, good job all round 👏👏
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
"Misconduct proven" = breaching professional standards for calling a Black woman a "daft cow".
His punishment? A written warning, which he'll learn a great deal from, no doubt 🙄
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
His punishment? A written warning, which he'll learn a great deal from, no doubt 🙄
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Met PC's misconduct proven over Croydon bus stop arrest
PC Perry Lathwood will be given a written warning after calling Jocelyn Agyemang a
www.bbc.co.uk
October 15, 2025 at 4:06 PM
"Misconduct proven" = breaching professional standards for calling a Black woman a "daft cow".
His punishment? A written warning, which he'll learn a great deal from, no doubt 🙄
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
His punishment? A written warning, which he'll learn a great deal from, no doubt 🙄
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by StopWatch
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
It's rare we share articles from the Daily Fail, but this is worth noting. As our friends at #StopWatch have noted, it appears that #SUSLaw 2.0 may emerge. #WeCopWatch
It's rare we share articles from the Daily Fail, but this is worth noting. As our friends at #StopWatch have noted, it appears that #SUSLaw 2.0 may emerge. #WeCopWatch
Tories unveil plan for stop and search blitz in crime hotspots
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, announced the policy in a speech to the Conservative conference in Manchester this morning.
www.dailymail.co.uk
October 9, 2025 at 2:01 PM
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
It's rare we share articles from the Daily Fail, but this is worth noting. As our friends at #StopWatch have noted, it appears that #SUSLaw 2.0 may emerge. #WeCopWatch
It's rare we share articles from the Daily Fail, but this is worth noting. As our friends at #StopWatch have noted, it appears that #SUSLaw 2.0 may emerge. #WeCopWatch
BTP in 2023: 'Our priorities around Violence against Women and Girls remain at the top of the agenda' btpa.police.uk/wp-content/u...
BTP in 2025: Officer who used unlawful force on a 15-year-old girl (put her in a headlock) during an arrest found guilty of assault
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
BTP in 2025: Officer who used unlawful force on a 15-year-old girl (put her in a headlock) during an arrest found guilty of assault
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Police officer who put girl in headlock found guilty of assault
Adrian Young, of British Transport Police, restrained 15-year-old at a train station in Camden, north London
www.theguardian.com
October 9, 2025 at 12:33 PM
BTP in 2023: 'Our priorities around Violence against Women and Girls remain at the top of the agenda' btpa.police.uk/wp-content/u...
BTP in 2025: Officer who used unlawful force on a 15-year-old girl (put her in a headlock) during an arrest found guilty of assault
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
BTP in 2025: Officer who used unlawful force on a 15-year-old girl (put her in a headlock) during an arrest found guilty of assault
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Trialling the return of sus laws, are we? Tory party policy proposals on stop and search policing seek to drag us backwards 40 years
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
Tories unveil plan for stop and search blitz in crime hotspots
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, announced the policy in a speech to the Conservative conference in Manchester this morning.
www.dailymail.co.uk
October 7, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Trialling the return of sus laws, are we? Tory party policy proposals on stop and search policing seek to drag us backwards 40 years
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by StopWatch
Jermaine Baker, 28, was fatally shot by an officer known only as W80, a Metropolitan police officer, in Wood Green on 11 December 2015. He was unarmed.
Now a police misconduct hearing has heard that the firearms officer used excessive force.
Now a police misconduct hearing has heard that the firearms officer used excessive force.
Firearms officer used excessive force in fatal shooting of unarmed man in London, misconduct hearing told
Jermaine Baker, from Tottenham, killed during operation to stop plot to spring gang leader from prison in 2015
www.theguardian.com
October 6, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Jermaine Baker, 28, was fatally shot by an officer known only as W80, a Metropolitan police officer, in Wood Green on 11 December 2015. He was unarmed.
Now a police misconduct hearing has heard that the firearms officer used excessive force.
Now a police misconduct hearing has heard that the firearms officer used excessive force.
Reposted by StopWatch
A firearms officer used excessive force when he shot dead 28-year-old Jermaine Baker in December 2015, a police misconduct hearing has been told www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Firearms officer used excessive force in fatal shooting of unarmed man in London, misconduct hearing told
Jermaine Baker, from Tottenham, killed during operation to stop plot to spring gang leader from prison in 2015
www.theguardian.com
October 6, 2025 at 6:15 PM
A firearms officer used excessive force when he shot dead 28-year-old Jermaine Baker in December 2015, a police misconduct hearing has been told www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
6 days left to support this fundraiser where a couple were targeted as suspected drug dealers by Met police officers #DrivingWhileBlack
www.crowdjustice.com/case/help-an...
www.crowdjustice.com/case/help-an...
Help Andrew & Aditi hold the Metropolitan Police to account
Andrew Ashong, 44, is a London-based musician. Dr Aditi Jaganathan, 35, is an educator, writer and activist.
www.crowdjustice.com
October 6, 2025 at 9:30 AM
6 days left to support this fundraiser where a couple were targeted as suspected drug dealers by Met police officers #DrivingWhileBlack
www.crowdjustice.com/case/help-an...
www.crowdjustice.com/case/help-an...