New South Wales Consolidated Acts

LAW ENFORCEMENT (POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES) ACT 2002 - SECT 95

95 Crime scene powers

(1) A police officer may, in accordance with this Part and any relevant crime scene warrant, exercise the following functions at, or in relation to, a crime scene established under this Part:

(a) direct a person to leave the crime scene or remove a vehicle, vessel or aircraft from the crime scene,

(b) remove from the crime scene a person who fails to comply with a direction to leave the crime scene or a vehicle, vessel or aircraft a person fails to remove from the crime scene,

(c) direct a person not to enter the crime scene,

(d) prevent a person from entering the crime scene,

(e) prevent a person from removing evidence from or otherwise interfering with the crime scene or anything in it and, for that purpose, detain and search the person,

(f) remove or cause to be removed an obstruction from the crime scene,

(g) perform any necessary investigation, including, for example, search the crime scene and inspect anything in it to obtain evidence of the commission of an offence,

(h) for the purpose of performing any necessary investigation, conduct any examination or process,

(i) open anything at the crime scene that is locked,

(j) take electricity, gas or any other utility, for use at the crime scene,

(k) direct the occupier of the premises or a person apparently involved in the management or control of the premises to maintain a continuous supply of electricity at the premises,

(l) photograph or otherwise record the crime scene and anything in it,

(m) seize and detain all or part of a thing that might provide evidence of the commission of an offence,

(n) dig up anything at the crime scene,

(o) remove wall or ceiling linings or floors of a building, or panels of a vehicle,

(p) any other function reasonably necessary or incidental to a function conferred by this subsection.

(2) The power conferred by this section to seize and detain a thing includes:

(a) a power to remove the thing from the crime scene when it is found, and

(b) a power to guard the thing in or on the crime scene.

(3) Nothing in this Part prevents a police officer who is lawfully on premises from exercising a crime scene power or doing any other thing, if the occupier of the premises consents.

Note: Under section 99 a police officer may arrest and take before an authorised officer to be dealt with according to law any person found in or on the premises whom the police officer suspects on reasonable grounds of having committed an offence.