GOWISELY

If you are approached by the police remember “GOWISELY”
Information from Liberty and The College of Policing

What are my rights if I’m stopped and searched?

The College of Policing have a guide on how police should behave when they stop and search people. It says that the police must search you in accordance with ‘GOWISELY’.

What’s GOWISELY?

It’s an acronym – each letter of GOWISELY stands for your rights if you’re stopped and searched.

G: Grounds for suspicion. For suspicion-based searches, the police must clearly explain the basis for their reasonable suspicion.

O: Object of the search. The police must clearly explain what they are looking for.

W: Warrant card. The police must show you this if you ask for it, or if they aren’t wearing a uniform.

I: Identity of the police officer or officers. The police officers involved in stopping and searching you must give you their name and shoulder number.

S: Station. The police must tell you which police station they work at.

E: Entitlement to a search record. The police must provide you with a copy of the search record or, if this is not practicable, provide information on how you can get a copy.

L: Legal power used. The police must tell you what legal power they are using to stop and search you.

Y: ‘You are detained for the purposes of a search’. The police must tell you this. ‘Detained’ means you are not free to leave until they tell you.

How long can police keep me for?

The time for which they detain you must be ‘kept to a minimum.’

If you are unsure whether the stop and search is complete, ask “am I being detained?” If you are not being detained, you have no legal obligations.