Procedures for searching buildings, vehicles and open spaces

Question 1

Procedures for searching buildings

Answer 1

Must encompass all parts of the building- inc voids behind drawers, beneath floorboards, access panels etc.

If anyone arrives, the officer in charge should identify themselves and any other officers (Code B, para 6.5) so long as alerting occupier would not frustrate the object of the search or put officers in danger (Code B, para 6.4).

No consent is required for unoccupied premises.

If they rent, every focus should be to gain consent of tenant rather than landlord (Code B, para 5.2), if practicable in writing on the Notice of Powers and Rights before the search (Code B, para 5.1).

Question 2

Procedures for searching buildings

During the search, if any items are found a police officer who is lawfully on any premises has a general power under s 19 of the PACE Act 1984 to seize anything that he/she has reasonable grounds for believing:

Answer 2

• has been obtained in the consequence of the commission of an offence.
• is evidence that relates to an offence which he/she is investigating or to any other offence
• it is necessary to seize it to prevent it from being concealed, lost, damaged, altered or destroyed.

Seized items can only be retained for as long as necessary (s 22, PACE Act 1984).

Question 3

Procedures for searching vehicles

5 primary areas

Answer 3

Engine bay
Passenger cabin
Boot
Exterior
Underside

Should be searched systematically in turn.

Should beware of loose panels also, checking gear sticks, air vents and radio.

Question 4

Procedures for searching vehicles

Safety

Answer 4

Make sure key is out of ignition

Avoid carrying out searches blind bends or adjacent to fast-moving traffic.

Question 5

Procedures for searching open spaces

Why might this occur?

Answer 5

Looking for missing people

Question 6

Procedures for searching open spaces

Critical planning to consider

Answer 6

Any intelligence which may assist

Maps of area to be searched

Consider the offender, any accomplices, the public and the media may have shared access.

Question 7

Procedures for searching open spaces

What is often used to divide the area into strips, grids or zones?

Answer 7

Police tape

If a line search with a return sweep is used, the boundary of the previous sweep is always covered again.

The whole line stops when an object such as a ditch or hedge bars the way, and object is normally searched immediately.