Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000

A police officer may detain a person for a reasonable time to investigate, or question the person about—

if the person is in custody following an arrest for an indictable offence—the offence for which the person was arrested; or

in any case—any indictable offence the person is suspected of having committed, whether or not the offence for which the person is in custody.

However, the person must not be detained under this part for more than 8 hours, unless the detention period is extended under this division.

If this part applies to the person because of section 398(b) or (c), the person must be returned to the watch-house or other place of custody as soon as reasonably practicable after the detention period ends.

In the 8 hours mentioned in subsection (2) (the detention period)—

the person may be questioned for not more than 4 hours; and

the time out may be more than 4 hours.

The detention period starts when the person is—

arrested for the indictable offence; or

taken into police custody under a removal order; or

taken from a watch-house; or

otherwise in the company of a police officer at a watch-house, prison, or detention centre, for the purpose of questioning the person.