It was earlier revealed that Scottish police keep the telephone numbers of people they have stopped and searched.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats are clear that the police should only be empowered to search someone if they reasonably suspect they are doing something unlawful,” Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Alison McInnes told Sputnik.
McInnes explained that ending the consensual stop and search, while retaining statutory powers, would provide for a healthier balance between civil liberties and the powers required to protect local communities.
The issue of the consensual stop-and-frisk policy has raised controversy in Scotland and elsewhere in the United Kingdom. "Consensual" effectively means that stops and searches can occur without any suspicion of criminality and need not be protocolled.