Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has welcomed a record stop-and-search find rate for the Metropolitan Police after new figures showed the force increased its use of the power by almost a fifth over the past year.
More than a third of searches carried out by Met officers in July resulted in weapons, drugs or other evidence of offending being discovered, according to figures reported by LBC.
The Met carried out almost 20 per cent more stop and searches over the past year. Despite the increase, the force recorded its highest-ever find rate in July, with 36 per cent of searches uncovering evidence of criminal activity.
In 2025, stop and search helped officers seize at least 3,800 weapons and discover illegal drugs on more than 27,800 occasions.
The Met said the improved find rate was the result of officers making more precise and considered stops.
Responding to the figures, Khan welcomed the results while stressing that stop and search must be carried out fairly and on the basis of intelligence.
Writing on X, the Labour Mayor said:
“I welcome the Met’s record stop and search find rate.
“Done fairly, respectfully and intelligence-led, it can remove dangerous weapons and drugs, disrupt crime and prevent violence.
“We’ll keep monitoring its delivery to help build a safer London for everyone.”
The figures come amid continued scrutiny of racial disproportionality in the use of stop and search.
Research cited by LBC found significant differences in the likelihood of Black and white Londoners being searched in some parts of the capital. Analysis of 152,000 Met stop-and-search records from 2023 found particularly high levels of disproportionality in East Sheen, Dulwich Village and Hampstead Town.
Across London as a whole, figures from February showed Black Londoners were 3.4 times more likely than white Londoners to be stopped and searched. The national rate was four times.
A national consultation on updated stop-and-search standards was subsequently launched by the College of Policing and concluded in July.
Met Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, the force’s lead for stop and search, said the power remained an important part of policing but acknowledged concerns about how it is used.
“Stop and search remains a vital tool in helping officers remove weapons from our streets, apprehend dangerous offenders and ultimately save lives,” he said.
“But it is also a tactic that must be used fairly, professionally and with the confidence of the communities we serve.”
Adelekan said the Met recognised that concerns about disproportionality remained, particularly among Black Londoners, and said the force was committed to addressing them through greater scrutiny, transparency and accountability.
He added: “The results we are seeing show that by focusing on quality rather than simply quantity, we can both improve outcomes and raise standards.”
Khan said City Hall would continue monitoring how stop and search is delivered as part of efforts to reduce violence and make London safer.
