S & S Flashcards
What is reasonable grounds to believe?
Sound basis for believing that a situation or circumstance actually exists
What is reasonable grounds to suspect?
Having a sound basis for suspecting that a situation or circumstance is likely to exist
What is evidential material?
Evidence of an offence or any other item, tangible or intangible, of relevance to the investigation of the offence
What is the search hierarchy?
1 - Warrant (Fairly ironclad, lotsa work)
2 - Warrantless search (Liable to be challenged, much less work)
3 - Consent search (LOL, your fucked and just on a fishing trip)
When you you create a decision record?
To record your reasonable grounds to suspect or believe that were known when you used a warrantless power.
What must you tell the owner/occupier/person in charge of a place, vehicle or thing being searched?
- The authority you have for searching
- Who is searching
- The reason why you are searching
(Use RAIN to cover these obligations)
How much force can you use against property during a search?
The force used must be reasonable in the circumstances (If its a homicide, go for broke. If its for a stolen tv not so much)
What are the two safeguards from criticism when conducting search/seizure?
Search/seizure should be witnessed and all seized property must be documented.
What is inevitable discovery?
If evidence was obtained in breach of the Bill of Rights Act 1990 and would have been obtained had the breach not occurred it may still be admitted subject to the balancing test in s30 of the Evidence Act 2006. This does not mean will be admissible as a matter of course
If you could equally use a warrant or a warrantless search why must you always go with the warrant?
The use of the warrantless power may be deemed unreasonable and anything you subsequently find deemed inadmissible
Can something be unlawful but still reasonable?
Yep!
What are the searches of a person?
s11 - in custody or about to be locked up
s16 - found in a public place for evidential material
s18 - for arms
s21, 22 and 23 - in relation to drug offences
s27 - for knives, offensive weapons and disabling substances
s85 & s88 - post arrest and detention
Under s110 what are the incidential powers that go with searching places, vehicles and things?
- You can seize anything that is the subject of the search or anything else that may lawfully be seized
When can you enter and search a place or vehicle for a person unlawfully at large? (s7)
- You SUSPECT they are unlawfully at large AND
- You BELIEVE they are in a place or vehicle
What is unlawfully at large?
Basically they are supposed to be detained at a place (eg prisoner, sectioned patient, 1J subject to supervision with residence condition and someone with a warrant (excludes fines warrant))
When can you enter and search a place or vehicle to avoid loss of offender or evidential material? (s8)
- SUSPECT person has committed an imprisonable offence and can be arrested without warrant AND
- BELIEVE they are in a place or vehicle AND
- the person will leave to avoid arrest and/or evidential material relating to the offence the person may be arrested for will be CADD
When can you invoke s14?
If you have reasonable grounds to SUSPECT
- An offence is being or is about to be committed that would likely cause injury to any person or serious damage to any property OR
- There is a risk to the life or safety of any person
You can enter and take ANY action you believe is reasonably necessary to prevent harm
What needs to be satisfied before you can invoke s15 (Entry and search of place for evidential material of a serious offence)
- Suspect an offence of 14yrs plus is, has or will occur AND
- Believe evidential material is there AND
- If entry is delayed to get a warrant the evidential material will be CADD
What needs to be satisfied before you can invoke s16 and s17 (Search of person and vehicle respectively for evidential material of a serious offence)
Believe there is evidential material of a 14yr plus offence AND the person or vehicle is in a public place
If vehicle is on private property use s15
When can you enter and search a place or vehicle for arms under s18?
If you SUSPECT an offence against the Arms Act or a category 3 or 4 offence has, is or will occur. You may seize and detain any arms or license under the Arms Act
Who do you need approval for an arms search?
Sergeant or above unless impractical in the circumstances due to the inherent risk arms searches pose.
When can you conduct a s28 search of a vehicle for an offensive weapon?
If you have reasonable grounds to suspect that
- A person travelling in, or alighted from, that vehicle is committing an offence in a public place against s202A Crimes Act 1961 AND
- The vehicle contains a knife, offensive weapon or disabling substance
When can you use s29 to search a vehicle for stolen property?
If you have reasonable grounds to believe that any stolen property in in that vehicle. (Intent is for public place, if on private place use a warrant or other power)
Under s83 (post arrest entry and search of place) when can you enter and search a place?
If you arrest someone AND
- Believe that evidential material relating to the offence is at a place AND
- If delay for a warrant that material will be CADD
(This applies even if the person wasn’t arrested at that place)
Under s84 (post arrest entry and search of vehicle) when can you enter and search a vehicle?
If you arrest someone AND
- Believe that evidential material relating to the offence is in that vehicle
What actions should you take, start to finish, when exercising warrantless powers?
1 - Obtain approval from sergeant or above when applicable (eg arms search
2 - Provide written notice to the person present via POL1275 and list of items seized. If no person present leave documentation in prominent place
3 - Make record (ie decision log) in notebook of search justification
4 - Complete notification via equip
5 - Complete all applicable notifications via bully board
What is the youngest a person can be for a consent search?
- Under 14s cannot consent to a search of a place or vehicle (unless they are driving a vehicle and there is no passenger 14 or over to consent to a search of the vehicle). They can consent to a search of themselves or anything in their immediate possession
What needs to be satisfied before you conduct a consent search?
- You must have a reason to justify your consent search AND
- You must advise the person of that reason and that they can refuse consent or withdraw it at any time.