National Campaign for Fair & Accountable Policing
Donate to StopWatch! Help to promote fair, effective and accountable policing
Background
Who is StopWatch?
StopWatch is a national research and action organisation that has been operating in the UK since 2010; it became a formal registered charitable organisation in 2015. StopWatch is a coalition of academics, lawyers, civil liberties activists, and community stakeholders that work to promote fair, effective and accountable policing for all.
For the last decade StopWatch has been the leading independent voice on stop and search and disproportionate policing. The organisation formed in response to unprecedented increases in the number of stop-searches, consistently high disproportionality and government proposals increasing police powers and reducing accountability.
We produce high quality research, briefings and resources gaining attention, credibility and trust from statutory, legal, academic and community stakeholders. Recent reports include Dr. Mike Shiner et al 'The Colour of Injustice: Race, Drugs and Law Enforcement'. Dr. Patrick Williams and Temi Mwale led on our 'Being Matrixed:The Over(Policing) of Gang Suspects' research. With emerging policing equipment and technology a concern, we published a briefing 'Call it Off: Are Police searching mobile phones illegally?'.
More recently we wrote to a range of elected representatives and statutory bodies to inform them about the impact of COVID and the disparities in how communities are being policed, stopped and fined. A letter to the Independent Office of Police Conduct raising concerns about the disproportionate use of Tasers against black males was sent in response to recent incidents in Manchester and London. Keen to ensure that the voices of people impacted by adverse policing are heard, we have responded to consultations from the Home Office, College of Policing and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). Last year we met with senior civil servants and special advisors to Prime Ministers May and Johnson. We were also invited to give oral evidence at the MacPherson 20 years On Inquiry.
Utilising our strong community links, StopWatch also provides harm reduction services to young people and hosts a range of public events aimed at raising awareness and building community resilience. We assist community members, such as Neomi Bennet BEM, to challenge unjustifiable stops, searches and arrests by providing legal advice and much need pastoral support. The Y–Stop video linked with this campaign is a youth led creation that was made by StopWatch’s youth group and is aimed to empower other young people to confidently and safely engage with police.
To address policing issues in the UK we have partnered with Release, Liberty, The Runnymede Trust, Amnesty International and have strong links with Big Brother Watch. StopWatch has participated in interviews for Channel 4, Sky News, ITV and the BBC and featured in articles in The Guardian, The Independent, The Daily Mail and The Observer.
With no other civil society organisation solely focussed on disproportionate policing, StopWatch is providing scrutiny, applying pressure and using research and communities’ lived experiences to bring about meaningful and long-term reforms to policing. We believe that everyone should be treated fairly and with dignity by police officers .
Call to Action - Donate Please!
Following the tragic death of George Floyd in the USA, StopWatch has been contacted by many people wanting to know how they can provide support to organisations in the UK that focus on ensuring police accountability and promoting community empowerment.
Being acutely aware of the plethora of policing issues that black communities face here at home in the UK, StopWatch has launched this fundraising page to make it easier for people in the UK to donate and support the essential work that we are doing. Whilst the situation in the USA is of great focus, we cannot express how much communities in the UK need your support!
StopWatch has a long standing track record in this arena and is committed to challenging unfair policing and prompting positive community relationships. As a volunteer led organisation, we mainly rely on the generosity of trusts and grant funders to operate. We DO NOT accept funding from the government or police as we believe this would compromise our ability to critically challenge.
With your donation we ensure that the great policy and important community work that we do continues to have a positive impact. Any financial assistance you can provide is greatly appreciated and will supports us to become more sustainable.
Please DONATE and help spread the word.
For more information visit
https://www.stop-watch .org,
Follow us on Twitter StopWatchUK
Keep in the know via our newsletter https://stopwatchuk.substack.com/
Thank you!
In solidarity and unity we stand
Katrina Ffrench
Chief Executive
StopWatch
Background
Who is StopWatch?
StopWatch is a national research and action organisation that has been operating in the UK since 2010; it became a formal registered charitable organisation in 2015. StopWatch is a coalition of academics, lawyers, civil liberties activists, and community stakeholders that work to promote fair, effective and accountable policing for all.
For the last decade StopWatch has been the leading independent voice on stop and search and disproportionate policing. The organisation formed in response to unprecedented increases in the number of stop-searches, consistently high disproportionality and government proposals increasing police powers and reducing accountability.
We produce high quality research, briefings and resources gaining attention, credibility and trust from statutory, legal, academic and community stakeholders. Recent reports include Dr. Mike Shiner et al 'The Colour of Injustice: Race, Drugs and Law Enforcement'. Dr. Patrick Williams and Temi Mwale led on our 'Being Matrixed:The Over(Policing) of Gang Suspects' research. With emerging policing equipment and technology a concern, we published a briefing 'Call it Off: Are Police searching mobile phones illegally?'.
More recently we wrote to a range of elected representatives and statutory bodies to inform them about the impact of COVID and the disparities in how communities are being policed, stopped and fined. A letter to the Independent Office of Police Conduct raising concerns about the disproportionate use of Tasers against black males was sent in response to recent incidents in Manchester and London. Keen to ensure that the voices of people impacted by adverse policing are heard, we have responded to consultations from the Home Office, College of Policing and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). Last year we met with senior civil servants and special advisors to Prime Ministers May and Johnson. We were also invited to give oral evidence at the MacPherson 20 years On Inquiry.
Utilising our strong community links, StopWatch also provides harm reduction services to young people and hosts a range of public events aimed at raising awareness and building community resilience. We assist community members, such as Neomi Bennet BEM, to challenge unjustifiable stops, searches and arrests by providing legal advice and much need pastoral support. The Y–Stop video linked with this campaign is a youth led creation that was made by StopWatch’s youth group and is aimed to empower other young people to confidently and safely engage with police.
To address policing issues in the UK we have partnered with Release, Liberty, The Runnymede Trust, Amnesty International and have strong links with Big Brother Watch. StopWatch has participated in interviews for Channel 4, Sky News, ITV and the BBC and featured in articles in The Guardian, The Independent, The Daily Mail and The Observer.
With no other civil society organisation solely focussed on disproportionate policing, StopWatch is providing scrutiny, applying pressure and using research and communities’ lived experiences to bring about meaningful and long-term reforms to policing. We believe that everyone should be treated fairly and with dignity by police officers .
Call to Action - Donate Please!
Following the tragic death of George Floyd in the USA, StopWatch has been contacted by many people wanting to know how they can provide support to organisations in the UK that focus on ensuring police accountability and promoting community empowerment.
Being acutely aware of the plethora of policing issues that black communities face here at home in the UK, StopWatch has launched this fundraising page to make it easier for people in the UK to donate and support the essential work that we are doing. Whilst the situation in the USA is of great focus, we cannot express how much communities in the UK need your support!
StopWatch has a long standing track record in this arena and is committed to challenging unfair policing and prompting positive community relationships. As a volunteer led organisation, we mainly rely on the generosity of trusts and grant funders to operate. We DO NOT accept funding from the government or police as we believe this would compromise our ability to critically challenge.
With your donation we ensure that the great policy and important community work that we do continues to have a positive impact. Any financial assistance you can provide is greatly appreciated and will supports us to become more sustainable.
Please DONATE and help spread the word.
For more information visit
https://www.stop-watch .org,
Follow us on Twitter StopWatchUK
Keep in the know via our newsletter https://stopwatchuk.substack.com/
Thank you!
In solidarity and unity we stand
Katrina Ffrench
Chief Executive
StopWatch
Organizer
Katrina Ffrench
Organizer
StopWatch
Beneficiary