Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002

A police officer may in accordance with this section detain a person, who is under arrest, for the investigation period provided for by section 115.

A police officer may so detain a person for the purpose of investigating whether the person committed the offence for which the person is arrested.

If, while a person is so detained, the police officer forms a reasonable suspicion as to the person’s involvement in the commission of any other offence, the police officer may also investigate the person’s involvement in that other offence during the investigation period for the arrest. It is immaterial whether that other offence was committed before or after the commencement of this Part or within or outside the State.

The person must be—

released (whether unconditionally or on bail) within the investigation period, or

brought before an authorised officer or court within that period, or, if it is not practicable to do so within that period, as soon as practicable after the end of that period.

A requirement in another Part of this Act, the Bail Act 2013 or any other relevant law that a person who is under arrest be taken before a Judge of the Local Court or other authorised officer or court, without delay, or within a specified period, is affected by this Part only to the extent that the extension of the period within which the person is to be brought before a judge or officer or court is authorised by this Part.

If a person is arrested more than once within any period of 48 hours, the investigation period for each arrest, other than the first, is reduced by so much of any earlier investigation period or periods as occurred within that 48 hour period.

The investigation period for an arrest (the earlier arrest) is not to reduce the investigation period for a later arrest if the later arrest relates to an offence that the person is suspected of having committed after the person was released, or taken before a Judge of the Local Court or other authorised officer or court, in respect of the earlier arrest.