An academic whose PhD research led to fundamental reform of Police Scotland’s stop and search policy has won a £10,000 award.
Dr Kath Murray has been named as the winner of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) “early career impact” category for her groundbreaking work.
Stop and search was a flagship policy of the old Strathclyde force before being embraced by Police Scotland.
However, barely any academic research had been carried out into the controversial area.
In January 2014, Murray presented interim findings of her Edinburgh University doctorate into stop and search.
She revealed people in Scotland were four times four likely to be frisked than individuals in England and exposed how thousands of children had been searched.
Murray also lifted the lid on the practice of ‘non-statutory’ searches, which had no basis in law.
The findings led to non-statutory frisks being phased out entirely. Search levels have since fallen by over 90%.
As revealed by the Sunday Herald, Police Scotland also tried to undermine the research ahead of publication.
Police chief Wayne Mawson was behind a sixteen-point plan that included trying to enlist the Lord Advocate in a bid to weaken the impact of the findings.
Mawson also wanted "positive" newspaper articles on stop and search two days before the Murray report came down and the force organised a press conference ahead of publication.
Murray, who has since received her doctorate, was shortlisted for the ESRC prize and announced as the winner on Wednesday night.
The event took place at Central Hall in Westminster.
Murray said: “I'm delighted, and deeply honoured to receive the ESRC Early Career impact prize. It means a great deal to me.”
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