Report on conduct of searches exposing intimate parts by the Metropolitan Police Service

The London Policing Ethics Panel is currently carrying out a project looking at openness and transparency in the Metropolitan Police Service. As part of our work we are examining police searches exposing intimate parts, and strip searches in custody, because these demonstrate important aspects of openness and transparency.

We are publishing this interim report in response to current public interest in searches exposing intimate parts, which have in part been prompted by the publication of the Child Q report. In 2021, MPS recorded 4,287 more thorough searches where intimate parts were exposed (known as MTIPS). MTIPS are carried out on people who have not been arrested, so this total excludes any searches on people who have been arrested and which therefore take place in custody. The vast majority of MTIPS (a total of nearly 4,000 in 2021) were of adults. Other organisations have commented on the issues with regards to children, so in this report we have focused mainly on searches of adults. We do however summarise observations made by MOPAC’s Young People’s Action Group.

Abdul-Hye Miah contributed to this report as part of the London Policing Ethics Panel.