Defnyddio Pwerau'r Heddlu

Mae ein swyddogion yn wynebu sefyllfaoedd anodd bob dydd.

Diolch byth, dim ond mewn nifer bach o'r sefyllfaoedd hyn y bydd yn rhaid i swyddogion yr heddlu ddefnyddio grym, boed hynny i ddiogelu'r cyhoedd, cadw trefn neu gadw eu hunain rhag niwed.

Cânt eu hyfforddi'n helaeth i ddefnyddio'r grym hwn yn gymesur, yn gyfreithlon a dim ond pan fydd yn gwbl angenrheidiol.

Mae'r mathau o rym y gall yr heddlu eu defnyddio yn cynnwys:

Gefynnau

Chwistrellwyr llidiog

Gynnau Taser*

Batonau

Arfau tanio*

Defnyddio ci

*Gall y defnydd o ynnau taser ac arfau tanio gynnwys adegau pan fyddant wedi'u hanelu at rywun, ond heb eu tanio.

Er mwyn dysgu mwy am y ffordd y gellir defnyddio grym, a'r ystadegau ar gyfer Heddlu De Cymru, cliciwch yma.

Defnydd Heddlu De Cymru o rym rhwng Ionawr i Mawrth 2023.

 

Gall swyddog yr heddlu neu swyddog cymorth cymunedol yr heddlu mewn iwnifform eich stopio chi ond dim ond swyddogion yr heddlu all gynnal chwiliad corfforol. Nid oes rhaid i swyddogion yr heddlu fod mewn iwnifform ond mae'n rhaid iddynt ddangos ei gerdyn gwarant i chi. Gallant gynnal chwiliad corfforol neu chwiliad o unrhyw beth rydych yn ei gario a cherbyd.

Efallai y dewch ar draws achosion gwahanol o stopio. Er mwyn cael mwy o wybodaeth am yr hyn a fydd yn digwydd, cliciwch yma.

I gael cysylltiadau mwy defnyddiol, gweler y canlynol:

Pam rydym yn defnyddio stopio a chwilio

Eich hawliau a'ch cyfrifoldebau

Sut rydym yn defnyddio stopio a chwilio

Mae eich adborth yn bwysig

Ystadegau a data

Ar gyfer data stopio a chwilio Heddlu De Cymru, cliciwch yma.

Ar gyfer data stopio a chwilio eich ardal leol, cliciwch yma.

Mae Comisiynydd yr Heddlu a Throseddu De Cymru hefyd yn rhannu data a gwybodaeth am ein defnydd o stopio a chwilio. Er mwyn eu gweld, cliciwch yma.

Following a Criminal Justice Alliance super-complaint regarding the use of Section 60 search authorisations, each force in England and Wales has been asked to revise its current work alongside a set number of recommendations outlined within the report.

Section 60 search powers are authorised by senior officers and allow officers to search persons within certain geographical areas and between certain times without reasonable suspicion in response to incidents of serious violence.

The recommendations outlined within the report are:

 

Recommendation 1: By 14 June 2024, chief constables should make sure their forces review the content of training on section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and how they provide it.

The review should consider current national police curriculum requirements and the adequacy of force training for:

• officers who may be required to authorise section 60s; and
• officers who may be required to conduct section 60 stop and searches.

The review and any associated actions should be proportionate to each force’s use of section 60.

 

Response: The force has reviewed the content of its training for section 60; this has included the content of training for officers searching, and the authorisers. Although the training of staff in relation to stop-search powers is reviewed and conducted annually, additional training has recently been provided on section 60 to all front-line response and neighbourhood policing officers and will again this year. This includes all officers who both authorise and conduct section 60 authorisations. Our internal officer training offer is further complemented by College of Policing online learning packages.

 

Recommendation 2: By 14 June 2024, chief constables should make sure briefing and debriefing arrangements for their force’s activities under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 are thorough and in line with Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 Code A and authorised professional practice content and guidance. Chief constables must make sure section 60 authorisation briefings are recorded. This may be as a written briefing. But formal verbal section 60 authorisation briefings should be given on audiovisual devices such as body-worn video or approved handheld communication devices. They should be capable of being recorded as part of the policing operation and be subject to scrutiny. Section 60 briefings to officers who are required to use their stop and search powers should include information on:

• the relevant law and guidance;
• the particular grounds for authorising the use of section 60 stop and search powers;
• all relevant and current information and intelligence;
• the geographical area covered and time limitations authorised;
• all relevant community information (including policing history) and any community impact assessment;
• how any debriefing and force learning will be conducted; and
• the importance of recording all section 60 stop and search encounters on body-worn video in their entirety.

 

Response: South Wales Police provides guidance and training to staff authorising section 60s and how/what briefing should be given. In line with these recommendations, the guidance outlines that briefings should be recorded in a written form, however if given orally it must be recorded in writing as soon as practicable. This guidance has recently been updated to ensure it includes all aspects highlighted within the recommendations. A pro-forma briefing tool has been developed to ensure that briefings will cover the area, grounds, information, intelligence, and law this relates to. Processes are now in place to ensure that any section 60 authorisation is fully debriefed with the community it affects and lessons are recorded and learnt. 

 

Recommendation 3: By 14 June 2024, chief constables should make sure all officers who may exercise stop and search powers understand, and comply with, their responsibility to safeguard children who are stopped and searched. In doing so, chief constables should make sure that:

• in line with the national policing curriculum, officers undertaking searches are appropriately trained to take the necessary steps to minimise any emotional harm that may be caused through these encounters;
• their force has processes in place to assist appropriate safeguarding referrals when children are stopped and searched; and
• there is robust checking and assessment of all such searches that takes account of the safety and welfare needs of the child.

 

Response: South Wales Police provides training to officers and staff which highlights the needs of vulnerable people (including children) in various circumstances, including while being searched. The training gives officers the requisite skills to deal with a variety of situations involving children but focuses on ways to reduce harm and impact. When officers search a child, all training will be followed and the policy in relation to future safeguarding will be completed. This consideration includes the immediate and future welfare of the child and takes into account several factors surrounding the circumstances of the interaction. Any stop-search and subsequent action with a child is then subject to appropriate oversight from the officer's supervisor to ensure all appropriate action has been taken. Every stop-search with a child requires the officer conducting it to consider the submission of a safeguarding referral; force policy reflects this requirement. 

 

Recommendation 4: By 14 June 2024, chief constables should make sure forces effectively communicate with communities and interested parties on the police use of section 60 stop and search powers. This should include:

• making sure communications reach the communities most likely to be affected by the section 60 authorisation and checking their communication strategies were effective;
• publicising details to inform the public, give reassurance and maximise any deterrent effect; and
• reporting back to communities and interested parties on operational outcomes.

 

Response: South Wales Police has a communication plan to notify the public in the event of a section 60 authorisation. This is predominantly completed via social media and news platforms, as well as contact with key individuals within communities. This approach is taken to ensure as wide an audience within the affected area is notified, and early contact is made with interested parties to maximise feedback opportunities. The force regularly publicises its data on searching via this website. The force works hard to open its processes and use of powers up to external scrutiny panels and independent advisor groups. This enables the force to obtain direct feedback from the community.

 

Recommendation 5: By 14 June 2024, chief constables should satisfy themselves that their force gives community scrutiny panels (or their equivalents) all relevant information to help them scrutinise police stop and searches and other police actions arising from section 60 authorisations. This should include:

• the grounds and underlying reasons for the authorisations;
• any recordings of briefings;
• written records of searches;
• information about the outcomes of searches; and
• body-worn video footage of entire encounters.

In addition, chief constables should satisfy themselves that their force incorporates feedback from community scrutiny panels (or their equivalents) when evaluating and improving the force’s use of section 60.

 

Response: South Wales Police engages with two scrutiny panels with a third anticipated over the coming months. These are:

Independent Advisory Group (IAG) – a group of 28 residents who review incidents and events, providing feedback and learning.

Police Accountability and Legitimacy Group (PALG) – this includes individuals and organisations who provide guidance and feedback to the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Scrutiny Panel – this forum is currently being established and will allow members of the public to view incidents and events in their entirety. This will include events from initial notification to control room, through to officer attendance and completion. All aspects of police recording including control room recordings and body-worn video will be examined. It is intended to provide a greater audience, enhancing levels of transparency and scrutiny throughout the organisation.

Should a section 60 authorisation be completed, relevant scrutiny of the authority will take place within each panel. Any learning and feedback will then be incorporated into training for officers, relevant change in the force's approach, or learning for the organisation.

 

Recommendation 6: By 14 June 2024, chief constables and where applicable police and crime commissioners (or equivalents) should make sure their forces work in partnership with community scrutiny panels (or their equivalents) to:

• review panel membership and vetting arrangements to remove any unnecessary barriers to recruiting panel members;
• promote the recruitment of culturally diverse members, with a particular focus on representing, involving and retaining those from under-represented communities and young people;
• promote the representation, involvement and retention of those who have been stopped and searched;
• make sure the force gives community scrutiny panels information on the police use of force, including handcuffing, relevant to the police use of stop and search powers;
• make sure they support and help community scrutiny panels to review section 60 authorisations, searches, community impact assessments and associated complaints;
• give members appropriate training and support to help them effectively carry out their role scrutinising all stop and searches, taking account of the effect the role could have on them; and
• provide the right level of police representation at panel meetings to support and advise as required, and to make sure the panels feedback helps to improve both individual officer and organisational learning.

 

Response: As highlighted above, South Wales Police currently engages in two separate external panels, with a third to be introduced imminently. This provides a range of levels of scrutiny covering all aspects of operational, tactical and strategic policing activity, including all areas identified in the above recommendation.

Membership of these panels remains under constant review, with representatives in each, from a number of diverse backgrounds.

Expert police advisers are available for support in each panel, providing guidance where required. This could range from legislative advice through to operational practices and allows any feedback to be implemented at the earliest opportunity. Training is tailored for all panel members depending on their position, and this is subject to continual review.

These panels' members are vetted in relevant cases. The panels do regularly consider incidents of stop and search, use of powers and other policing powers. Members of the panels do receive regular and relevant training, but also are supported with the right information to conduct these roles appropriately.