Chap 5: Managing suspects and offenders Flashcards
What is S.39 CA 1961?
Justified in use of force used in executing process/sentence/warrant or arrest where necessary to overcome resistance and can’t be executed in less violent manner: (Except where force used is intended or likely to cause death/GBH).
What is S.40 CA 1961?
Justified in use of force to prevent escape where offender tries to avoid arrest or escape after arrest unless it can be prevented by reasonable means in a less violent manner. Also where they try to escape from lawful custody or flee after escape. Except where force used is intended or likely to cause death/GBH.
What is S.41 CA 1961?
Justified in using reasonable force to prevent suicide or offences likely to cause immediate and serious injury to person/property or any act which RGB would amount to suicide or any such offence.
What is S.42 CA 1961?
Preventing breach of the peace: Everyone who witnesses a BOP is justified in interfering to prevent its continuance/renewal and detain to hand over to police if force is reasonable and proportionate. Every constable (or those assisting) who witnesses BOP justified in arresting anyone he finds committing it. Police can receive into custody any person from a witness who has seen/have RGB witness is likely to have seen person committing BOP.
What is an offensive weapon under S.202A CA 1961?
any article made or altered for use for causing bodily injury or intended by the person having it with him for such use. Includes any article capable to being used for causing bodily injury.
What is a disabling substance under S.202A CA 1961?
any anesthetizing or other substance produced for use for disabling persons or intended by any person having it with him for such use.
Offences and penalty under S.202A CA 1961?
3 yrs imprisonment 4(a) where don’t have lawful authority or reasonable excuse to have it in public place or 4(b) have possession in any place in circumstances that prima facie show an intention to use it to commit offence involving bodily injury/threat/fear of violence.
What is a defence under S.202A CA 1961?
Defence under 4(b) if the person charged proves that he did not intend to use the o.w/d.s to commit an offence involving bodily injury or threat or fear of violence.
What was the decision of Attorney-General v Reid and Mackay v Minto in relation to S.42 CA 1961 in relation to BOP?
There is no power to arrest for an anticipated breach of the peace. Proper procedure where a breach is anticipated and the persons concerned fail to desist is to arrest for obstruction.
What are the four most important rules associated with Section 23 (arresting/detaining) NZBORA 1990?
- When questioning suspects/witnesses re an offence you may ask questions but must not suggest it’s compulsory for them to answer.
- Must caution before inviting a person to make stx/answer q’s where you have sufficient evidence to charge.
- Must caution anyone arrested/detained pursuant to any enactment even if already given it prior to K9/detention.
- No power to detain to answer q’s/pursue enquiries. Person can assist voluntarily.
The NZBORA applies only to what?
Acts done by the legislative, executive or judicial (LEJ) branches of the government. The performance of any public function, power or duty pursuant to law.
The NZBORA is primarily intended to what?
Affirm, protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The NZBORA provides protection against what?
The powers of government agencies
It provides minimum standards for public decision making and protection for human rights and basic freedoms
BORA gives statutory authority to what?
It requires that any limits on rights/freedoms are what?
Many rights that have always existed but have done so only in common law.
Reasonable (justified in a free and democratic society).
The NZBORA imposes what specific obligations on Police under S.21?
Protection against unreasonable search and seizure.
The NZBORA imposes what specific obligations on Police under S.22?
Protection against arbitrary arrest and detention.
The NZBORA imposes what specific obligations on Police under S.23?
Rights of persons arrested or detained.
The NZBORA imposes what specific obligations on Police under S.24?
Rights of persons charged with an offence.
The NZBORA imposes what specific obligations on Police under S.25?
Minimum standards of criminal procedure.
What are a persons rights under S.9 NZBORA and what is it’s purpose?
The right not to be subjected to:
torture
cruel, degrading or disproportionately severe treatment or punishment.
Purpose is to ensure that all persons are treated with respect for their inherent dignity and worth.
(Particularly relevant to prisoners, ie: deliberate deprivation of mentally unstable; strip search person in public area to humiliate)
Who is the National Preventative Mechanism for torture and cruel treatment and what might a breach of S.9 lead to?
The IPCA
They oversee investigations into complaints or torture or cruel treatment by Police.
A breach may lead to a substantial award of compensation by the courts.
Section 9 and the ‘UN Convention Against Torture’ include an obligation to do what?
Investigate credible claims of torture and cruel, degrading and disproportionately severe treatment.
What is S.14 (Freedom of Expression) of NZBORA?
Everyone has the right to freedom of expression.
Incl freedom to seek, receive and impart info and opinions of any kind and in any form.
What does ‘expression’ cover under S.14 relating to freedom of expression?
Manifestations of ideas and info of any kind and in any form.
Includes behaviour bordering on offensive or disorderly.
In most cases the content of the expression is irrelevant, apart from censorship, hate speech and defamation, which are unlawful.
What is S.14 (freedom of expression) limited by?
The limit must be what and who decides?
Criminal and civil law, eg: offensive and disorderly behaviour, insulting language, BOP, hate speech, defamation, contempt of court, censorship laws.
The limit must be reasonable in the circumstances of the behaviour - an issue decided by the court.
What is S.16 (Peaceful Assembly) BORA?
Everyone has the right to peaceful assembly.
What is a ‘peaceful assembly’ under S.16?
2 or more people meeting with a common goal. Must be peaceful to be protected by the right.
If an assembly inconveniences members of the public, is it still a peaceful assembly?
Yes it may be.
If there is a non-peaceful person does this extinguish the rights for the rest of the assembly?
No.
What must an assembly be to be found non-peaceful?
Serious and aggressive effect on people/property.
When policing protests and demonstrations, cognisance must be taken of what?
The rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly (S 14 & 16).
Extent to which it is impinging on others’ rights to use public space.
Whether behaviour warrants intervention of criminal law.
The courts take what kind of approach to expressive behaviour by demonstrators?
Liberal,
Level of behaviour required for disorderly/offensive/insulting much higher for demonstrators conveying opinion on matter of public interest than for other types of behaviour.
In order to reach the threshold of offensive or disorderly, protestors’ behaviour must either what?
Substantially inhibit others’ right to to use public amenity
and/or
Causes great offence than those affected can reasonably be expected to tolerate where it is seriously disruptive of public order
BOP is not an offence but carries what?
The validity of a decision to K9 to prevent BOP is impacted by what?
Power of arrest under S.42 CA
The rights to freedom of expression and public assembly.
When it comes to disorderly, offensive, insulting language and BOP generally police should consider what?
Does behaviour express a view on matter of public interest?
Does behaviour intrude on rights of others in a public space?
Does this intrusion go beyond what a reasonable person could be expected to tolerate?
Does behaviour pose actual risk to public disorder?
Does the behaviour warrant the intervention of the criminal law?
Protestors have a right to protest in government spaces (eg: foyer) subject to what?
Police should do what when asked to move protestors on?
Limitations that are reasonable and demonstrably justifiable.
Own assessment - does it make sense and does it justify police action given right to peaceful protest?
According to Routhen v Police, if the protester is causing a hazard or disrupting business one option is to do what?
See if the protest action can be modified.
What are rights under Section 18 (Freedom of Movement)?
Everyone lawfully in NZ has the right to freedom of movement and residence in NZ.
Every NZ citizen has the right to enter NZ.
Everyone has the right to leave NZ.
Where not NZ citizen but here legally, shall not be required to leave NZ except by law
Police often curtail individuals’ freedom of movement within NZ in terms of bail conditions, road closures and other short-term curtailments. What must be borne in mind?
They may impinge on rights under S.18 and must be reasonable.
What are a person’s rights under Section 21?
Everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure whether of person, ppty, correspondence or otherwise.
The basis of the right under S.21 (unreasonable search & seizure) is what?
It varies depending on what?
Need to protect an individual’s reasonable expectation of privacy from intrusion by the government.
Varies depending on nature, place and extent of intrusion.