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Procedure manual: Identification of people and searches in vehicles in public places

Description

The Manual contains established criteria, used by the Fuenlabrada Police, in detection and/or registration of persons and/or vehicles in public places.

Summary

Stop and search of persons and vehicles in public places is a method of policing that directly affect people's fundamental rights. This method, if it is not properly regulated and implemented, may cause conflict in the relationship between police and the community.

The Spanish legislation grants a large degree of discretion to the components of the police agencies to practice it, and there is no rule requiring the registration of IDs and / or police records made, which may constitute a situation of legal uncertainty and lack of guarantees, both for the individuals concerned, as for the police agents who have practiced the identification.

The identifications and searches are a useful tool for police work to develop the necessary crime prevention and maintenance of public safety. But abusive or inappropriate use may result in an adverse impact on the community and, in particular, in certain social groups.

For that reason it is necessary to provide clear criteria to Local Police officers, to achieve greater effectiveness and avoid police identifications are made by stereotypes, profiling or prejudices unrelated to the requirements of public safety.

This document objective is to regulate the manner in which members of the Police de Fuenlabrada stop, identify and search individuals and vehicles and thus improve relations between police and members of the community.