Police Powers and Legal Framework
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) sets out exactly when police can stop and search you. They can only do this if they reasonably believe you're carrying illegal drugs, weapons, stolen goods, or items that could be used to commit crimes.
Public places are where these searches can happen - think streets, shopping centres, cinemas, and pubs. Your private home is off-limits though. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 expanded these powers to include searching for items intended to cause criminal damage.
The key protection for you is that police must have 'reasonable grounds' under Code A of PACE. This means they can't stop you just because they don't like how you look - there must be objective facts, information, or intelligence backing up their suspicion.
Remember: Police need solid reasons, not just hunches or prejudices, to justify stopping and searching you.
