Week 3 - PACE Code B - Entry Search And Seizure Flashcards
What is the only common law power of entry without warrant for?
Breach of the peace
PACE code B - deals with police powers to do what?
And may be used to find what 3 things…
Search premises
Seize and retain property found on premises and persons
Main powers to search without a warrant include powers to search premises:-
To make an arrest
After an arrest
May be used to find:
- property and material relating to a crime
- wanted persons
- children who abscond from local authority accomm where they have been remanded or committed by court
Key human rights principle in relation to this
Right to privacy and respect for personal property
When should force be used in search/entry?
Only when considered necessary and proportionate to the circumstances ….
A person who has not bern arrested but is searched during course of a premises sear2cg, should be searched umder pace code A.
.
Written records of searches not made in a search record shall be made where?
Officers PNB
Or forms issued for this purpose
If searching linked to investigation of terrrorism or where officers reasonably believe disclosing their names may put them in danger…
ID??
Doesnt require the identity of the officers or anyone accompanying them during a search
The officer in charge of the search would normally be the most senior ranking officer present…
What are the exceptions to this?
Supervising officer who attends /assists may appoint a lower ranking officer in charge of the search if that officer is more conversant with th3 facts or a more appropriate person to be in charge of the search
Who may direct a deignated investigating officer not to wear a uniform for the purposes of a specific operation?
Inspector or above
S15 PACE 1984 - application for a warrant
What must be stated in the application ..
- The grounds for the search
- The act under which the warrant would be issued
- If the application is for more than one entry - the grounds for this and whether a maximum or unlimited number of entries are desired
‘To identify (so far as practicable) the items / persons sought
If the application relates to one or more sets of premises specified then each set of premises are to be specified along with the name of the person who is in occupation/control of the premises desired to be entered
Why it is necessary to search more premises than those specified
Why not reasonably practicable to specify all premises (if relevant)
S16 PACE 1984 - execution of a warrant
How long got to exercise the warrant?
3months from date of issue
An all premises warrant…
A multiple entry warrnat
Rules..
No premises not specified on warrant may be entered /searched without written authority of inspector or above
No premises may be entered/searched for a second/subsequent time unless at least inspe2cotr has given written authority
General rules for executing warrant
Must be done at a rasonable hour unless it appears that may frustrate the purpose of the search
Where the occupier is present, a constable shall identify themselves to the occupier (if not in uniform present ID), present the warrant and supply them with a copy of it.
A warrant only allows search to extent required for the purpise it was issued
Officer will endorse the warrant stating what articles were found.
Once executed a warrant shall be returned to the justice of peace/ officer of the court where it was issued.
S15 and s16 PACE apply to all search warrants issued to/executed by constables under any enactment, eg..
Theft act 1968
Misuse of drugs 1971
Pace S8 - Evidence of indictable offence
Terrorism 2000
Search warrant …
Examples of other powers referred to…
Road traffic act - to obtain specimen of breath/ arrest someone following positive breath test/failure to provide
Criminal justice act 1988 - Entry to schools to look for offensive weapons
Terrorism act 2000
S8 PACE- search warrants for indictable offences
2 types…
Can be a specific premises warrant (for search of one set.of premises)
Or an all premises warrant (where necessary to search all premises occupied / controlled by an individual but not practicable to specify all such premises at time of applying for warrant.
Both warrants can authorise multiple entry if authorised… either unlimited entries or limited to a maximum
Officer applying for a s8 warrant must believe what…
That they have reasonable grounds for believing that material which is likely to be of substantial value to the investigation of the offence is on the premises specified
Material solely for the value of intelligence purposes may not be seized under a s8 warrant
.
Legally privileged material
excluded material
Special procedure material
Legally privileged material - cannot be searched for or seized (i.e communications between a legal adviser and client)
excluded material - can generally only be gained by applying to judge for production order (i.e medical records, personal records, human tissue or fluid taken for the purpose of medical treatment or diagnosis, journalistic material)
Special procedure material - S14 pace states that any legal privilege or excluded material can be gained by applying for a search warrant or production order
When providing information to justify warrant, the officer must take resonable steps to check the information is…
Accurate, Recent and not provided maliciously or irresponsibly
An application may not be made on the basis of anonymous information if corroboration has not been sought
Pre application the officer must make reasonable enquiries to establish if…
- Anything is known about the likely occupier of the premises
- the nature of the premsises themselves
- if the premieses have been searched previously and how recently
- any other relevant information
Application for warrant ir production order to justice of the peace must be signed by who?
Inspector or above
Note: If the case is urgent and an inspector is not available then the next most senior officer on duty can give the written authority
If reason to believe a search may have adverse affect on community, when should OIC inform local police/community officer?
Before the search or as reasonably practicable afterwards
If application under PACE s8 then more than one set.of presmises can be specified to be searched.
Must specify as many sets of.premises on the warrant as reasonably practicable
If cant specify them all then must say why it isn’t reasonably practicable to do so
Must specify why necessary to search more than 1 premises