POLICE POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES ACT 2000 - SECT 157 Powers under search warrant

POLICE POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES ACT 2000 - SECT 157

157 Powers under search warrant

(1) A police officer may lawfully exercise the following powers under a search warrant (
"search warrant powers" )—

(a) power to enter the place stated in the warrant (the
"relevant place" ) and to stay on it for the time reasonably necessary to exercise powers authorised under the warrant and this section;

(b) power to pass over, through, along or under another place to enter the relevant place;

(c) power to search the relevant place for anything sought under the warrant;

(d) power to open anything in the relevant place that is locked;

(e) power to detain anyone at the relevant place for the time reasonably necessary to find out if the person has anything sought under the warrant;

(f) if the warrant relates to an offence and the police officer reasonably suspects a person on the relevant place has been involved in the commission of the offence, power to detain the person for the time taken to search the place;

(g) power to dig up land;

(h) power to seize a thing found at the relevant place, or on a person found at the relevant place, that the police officer reasonably suspects may be warrant evidence or property to which the warrant relates;

(i) power to muster, hold and inspect any animal the police officer reasonably suspects may provide warrant evidence or property to which the warrant relates;

(j) power to photograph anything the police officer reasonably suspects may provide warrant evidence or property to which the warrant relates, whether or not the thing is seized under the warrant;

(k) power to remove wall or ceiling linings or floors of a building, or panels of a vehicle, to search for warrant evidence or property;

(l) if the police officer is searching for stock—power to use any equipment, cut out camps, stockyards, dips, dams, ramps, troughs and other facilities on the place being searched that are reasonably needed to be used in the management of stock.

(2) Also, a police officer has the following powers if authorised under a search warrant (also
"search warrant powers" )—

(a) power to search anyone found at the relevant place for anything sought under the warrant that can be concealed on the person;

(b) power to do whichever of the following is authorised—

(i) to search anyone or anything in or on or about to board, or be put in or on, a transport vehicle;

(ii) to take a vehicle to, and search for evidence of the commission of an offence that may be concealed in a vehicle at, a place with appropriate facilities for searching the vehicle.

(3) Power to do anything at the relevant place that may cause structural damage to a building, may be exercised only if the warrant—

(a) authorises the exercise of the power; and

(b) is issued by a Supreme Court judge.