Your rights on arrest and criminal justice

This section gives you information about your rights and what happens when arrested or going through the criminal justice system.

In custody

Merton Independent Custody Visitors Panel carry out random spot checks on detainees and the custody area. Metropolitan Police Authority website has more information.

Criminal Justice System

You can find information on the criminal justice system at the Criminal Justice System (Equality and Human Rights Commission website). This includes support for victims, witnesses, defendants, offenders and jurors and gives virtual tours helping you through the process.

Prisons

You can find information on the Prison Service, including advice & support for prisoners and relatives at the Prison Service website

Stop and Search

Merton police officers have a range of Stop and Search powers to fight and detect crime, fully supported by a written account of the reasons for the stop, a person’s details (if provided) and identity of the officer involved.

From the end of last year, we now also routinely include people who may be stopped and questioned in a public place, without any actual search taking place.

This Stop and Account policy, brought in by Recommendation 61 of the Steven Lawrence Enquiry and fully supported by the Metropolitan Police Authority and Merton Council, means that we are openly accountable for our actions and encourage local people to see real results.

The forms used in Stop and Account are exactly the same as those routinely used to record Stop and Search. The increase in forms submitted is in proportion to the numbers of stops being undertaken, and has not resulted in a huge increase. Far from being additional bureaucracy, each form yields useful information and intelligence, as well as providing a permanent record of encounters and stops which an officer can refer back to, in cases of further action, complaints or letters of thanks from local residents.

Independent Advisory Group

This is a group of local people from a wide variety of backgrounds, invited to review police practices and procedures in relation to stops.

Courts

You can find information on using the courts, including help for witnesses and those on jury service at the Court Service website.

Legislation

Contact us

Safer Merton
Merton Council
Civic Centre
London Road
Morden
SM4 5DX

Telephone: 020 8545 4146
Email: safer.merton@merton.gov.uk

This page was last updated on Wednesday 16 November 2011

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