[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"stats-overview":3,"kb-article-pace-code-a-removing-clothing-during-a-stop-and-search":10},{"officers":4,"forces":5,"courts":6,"prisons":7,"hearings":8,"legals":9},769,50,224,120,41,11437,{"id":11,"slug":12,"name":13,"content":14,"category_id":15,"source":16,"source_url":17,"source_ref":18,"licence":19,"sort_order":20,"published":21,"created_at":22,"updated_at":22,"category":23,"category_icon":24,"category_slug":25,"excerpt":26,"word_count":27,"reading_time":28,"is_official":21,"related":29,"previous":62,"next":49},"30","pace-code-a-removing-clothing-during-a-stop-and-search","Can the police make you remove clothing in a stop and search?","In public, an officer carrying out an ordinary stop and search can only ask you to remove your outer coat, jacket and gloves. They cannot require you to take off more than that in public view.\n\nIf a more thorough search is needed (for example removing a t-shirt, or any search involving more than outer clothing), it must be done out of public view — such as in a police van or a nearby building — and not in a police station unless certain conditions apply.\n\nAny search that involves exposing intimate parts of the body has stricter rules again and must be carried out by an officer of the same sex, away from anyone of the opposite sex. These \"more thorough\" and intimate searches are tightly controlled and are not part of a normal street search.\n\nThe search should be carried out with courtesy, consideration and respect, and should take no longer than is reasonably necessary.\n\nThis is a plain-English summary. For the exact rules, read the official PACE Code A.","11","PACE Code A (2023)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gov.uk\u002Fgovernment\u002Fpublications\u002Fpace-code-a-2023","Code A, paras 3.5–3.7","OGL v3.0",30,true,"2026-06-22T11:50:16.000Z","PACE Code A – Stop & Search","mdi:account-search","pace-code-a-stop-and-search","In public, an officer carrying out an ordinary stop and search can only ask you to remove your outer coat, jacket and gloves. They cannot require you to take…",172,1,[30,38,45,56],{"id":31,"slug":32,"name":33,"source":16,"source_url":17,"sort_order":34,"category":23,"category_icon":24,"category_slug":25,"excerpt":35,"word_count":36,"reading_time":37,"is_official":21},"28","pace-code-a-when-can-police-stop-and-search-you","When can the police stop and search you?",10,"Most police powers to stop and search you need \"reasonable grounds for suspicion\". That means the officer must genuinely suspect they will find something…",218,2,{"id":39,"slug":40,"name":41,"source":16,"source_url":17,"sort_order":42,"category":23,"category_icon":24,"category_slug":25,"excerpt":43,"word_count":44,"reading_time":37,"is_official":21},"29","pace-code-a-what-an-officer-must-tell-you-before-a-search","What must an officer tell you before a stop and search?",20,"Before searching you (or as soon as practicable), the officer must give you certain information. Officers are trained to remember it using the word…",201,{"id":46,"slug":47,"name":48,"source":49,"source_url":49,"sort_order":50,"category":51,"category_icon":24,"category_slug":52,"excerpt":53,"word_count":54,"reading_time":34,"is_official":55},"19","stop-and-search-police-powers","Stop and search: what the police can and can't do",null,0,"Stop and Search","stop-and-search","Police in England and Wales can stop and search you in public only if they have a legal power to do so, and in almost every case they need reasonable grounds…",1843,false,{"id":57,"slug":58,"name":59,"source":49,"source_url":49,"sort_order":50,"category":51,"category_icon":24,"category_slug":52,"excerpt":60,"word_count":61,"reading_time":37,"is_official":55},"20","stop-and-question-police-powers","Stop and account: do you have to answer police questions?","A police officer can approach you at any time and ask who you are, what you are doing or where you are going. This is often called \"stop and account\". It is…",372,{"slug":40,"name":41}]