POLICE POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES ACT 2000 - SECT 635
Use of force likely to cause damage to enter places
POLICE POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES ACT 2000 - SECT 635
Use of force likely to cause damage to enter places
635 Use of force likely to cause damage to enter places
(1) This section
applies if a police officer intends to enter a place to arrest or detain
someone, or to search a place, or to establish a crime scene.
(2) Before the
police officer uses force that may cause damage to a place to gain entry to
the place, the police officer must, if reasonably practicable—
(a) ask the
occupier of the place to allow the police officer to enter the place; and
(b)
give the occupier a reasonable opportunity to allow the entry.
(3) It may not
be reasonably practicable for a police officer to comply with subsection (2)
if, for example—
(a) there is an immediate or sudden need to use force
because, for example, the person is struggling with a police officer; or
(b)
there is a reasonable expectation that, if warned, the person may immediately
dispose of or destroy evidence; or
(c) an immediate search is necessary to
protect the safety of any person.
