An average of 23 people a day are stopped by Avon and Somerset police to find out what they are doing.

Officers stopped a total of 8,043 people in the force area last year, a rise of 542 over the year before when the 'stop and account' power was first introduced. But the constabulary devotes less time to making people stop and account for their behaviour than other forces. Gloucestershire police stopped 12,789 people last year, compared to 5,158 the year before while West Mercia police stopped 20,514 people.

ment.getElementById('article-detail-impact-tile').innerHTML = document.getElementById('INVarticle-detail-impact-tile').innerHTML;document.getElementById('INVarticle-detail-impact-tile').innerHTML = '';Nationally there was an increase of 39 per cent in the use of the power to 1.86 million, according to the Ministry of Justice. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith last month proposed scrapping the stop and account form, which takes officers an average of seven minutes to fill in.

The Flanagan inquiry into policing calculated recording all stops took up more than 48,000 hours each year.

The Government has promised to spend £25 million on hand-held mobile data devices in an effort to cut the amount of paperwork.

Police officers themselves are generally in favour of the new power.

The Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers said stop and account allowed the police to gather information and build up a picture of people who were living, working and committing crimes in an area.

It helped them get to know local people and patterns of behaviour but stressed officers were aware the power must be used sensitively so that no group felt targeted.

Police officers had to begin recording stops from April 2005 following a recommendation of the inquiry into the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence.

They can ask a person in a public place to account for their action, behaviour, presence in an area or possession of anything.

Officers can also stop and search people under separate powers, including terror laws and suspicion of possessing drugs or guns.

Last year Avon and Somerset police stopped 14,777 people using stop and search powers.

Superintendent Tony Oliver said: "Stop and account is a vital part of policing.

"It provides us with opportunities to gather information around a whole host of activities such as criminal and anti social behaviour.

"The visible use of these powers also provide neighbourhoods with reassurance and helps towards ensuring that people are, and feel, safe.

"We welcome the proposals to reduce the bureaucracy which surrounds the use of these powers thus freeing up officers time."

Source: www.thewestonmercury.co.uk