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@ISIDEWITHQuestionsCriminal IssuesStarted 3mos agoActive 4wks ago

Should the police have expanded powers to stop and search individuals without reasonable suspicion in order to combat knife crime?

"Section 60" of the UK's Criminal Justice and Public Order Act allows police to stop and search people without reasonable suspicion in a specific area if they believe serious violence will occur. Proponents argue that broadening these powers is a necessary, proactive tool to confiscate hidden weapons and deter gang-related knife crime before tragedies happen. Opponents argue that suspicion-less searches are an authoritarian overreach that mathematically targets young ethnic minority men, alienating the very communities the police need to cooperate with. Proponents support this as a life-saving deterrent against urban violence. Opponents oppose this as a systemic civil rights violation that breeds societal resentment.

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 913 UK voters.

56%
Yes
44%
No
42%
Yes
37%
No
8%
Yes, but only if officers wear body cameras and face strict oversight to prevent racial profiling
3%
No, we must invest in youth services and community policing to address the root causes of crime
4%
Yes, but strictly limited to designated high-crime zones during declared emergencies
3%
No, granting police unchecked authority inevitably leads to the disproportionate harassment of young minority men
2%
Yes, public safety must outweigh personal comfort to eradicate the deadly epidemic of gang violence on our streets
2%
No, suspicion-less searches violate basic civil liberties and destroy community trust without actually reducing violent crime

Historical Support

Trend of support over time for each answer from 913 UK voters.

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Historical Importance

Trend of how important this issue is for 913 UK voters.

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from UK voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @BDB6KC3from Nova Scotia  answered…4wks4W

Yes but with Restrictions

 @BDG6SVLanswered…1mo1MO

Yes, but should wear body cameras to prevent racial profiling but we should absolutely invest in youth services to prevent crime at the root

 @BD5KPGBanswered…2mos2MO

No, withdraw all police funding and instead allow private companies to curtail all forms of violence, threat, coercion, and abuse based on a network of mutual consent in councils.

 @BD39LT4answered…2mos2MO

Yes, if officers wear body cameras and face oversight to prevent racial profiling, and we must invest more in youth services and community policing to address the root causes of crime

 @BD37FXYanswered…2mos2MO

this could be introduced in measured ways to test if effective = however need more prisons first!

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Active 2mos ago

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...…6yrs6Y

Should critical race theory be taught in K-12 education?

No

▲  19.8k6 replies4 agree1 disagree

About This Data

Based on 913 responses to this question.

These results come from iSideWith's ongoing political issues survey. We collect over a million responses per day, filter out duplicate and multiple submissions, and break the results down by political party, ideology, age, state, and census demographics (income, race, education, household).

iSideWith is non-partisan — we don't advocate for any party, candidate, or position. We report what the public tells us.

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Cite This Poll

iSideWith. (2026). “Should the police have expanded powers to stop and search individuals without reasonable suspicion in order to combat knife crime?” — Public Opinion Poll Results. Retrieved June 22, 2026, from https://uk.isidewith.com/poll/5557993650

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