POLICE forces will provide detailed data on their use of stop-and-search powers from today.

Residents will be able to see figures for the number of stops and their outcomes.

A total of 40 forces, including British Transport Police, will give information including the ethnicity and age of those stopped, on a monthly basis.

The data, released in summary pages on the police.uk website, will also cover the time of day stops are made.

Figures will be published alongside maps that allow the public to see where stop and searches took place, which are already provided by 25 forces.

The move is part of a drive by the government to increase transparency over the controversial tactic.

Labour’s shadow policing minister Jack Dromey said: “It is welcome that there is now recognition of the importance of acting on intelligence and carrying the community with you.

“It is also right that the statistics are published so that the public know and the police can constantly work at getting the balance right between proper use and abuse.”