Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000

This section applies if a police officer reasonably suspects—

there is an imminent risk of either of the following happening at a place—

injury to a person;

an offence involving damaging property; or

domestic violence is occurring, or has occurred before the officer’s arrival, at a place.

It is lawful for the police officer to enter the place and stay on it for the time reasonably necessary—

to establish whether the reason for the entry exists; and

to ensure that, in the officer’s opinion, an imminent risk of injury, damage or domestic violence does not exist at the place; and

to give or arrange for reasonable help to any person at the place.

The police officer may detain anyone at the place for the time reasonably necessary to establish whether the reason for the entry exists.

If the police officer is reasonably satisfied a reason for the entry exists, the police officer may do any of the following—

detain a person for a search or to prevent acts of violence or damage to property;

search anyone detained for anything that may be, or has been used to cause the injury or damage or for domestic violence;

search the place—

for anyone who may be at risk of being injured or subject to domestic violence or associated domestic violence; and

for anything that may be, or has been, used to cause the injury or damage or for domestic violence or associated domestic violence;

seize anything found at the place or on a person at the place that may be, or has been used to cause the injury or damage or for domestic violence or associated domestic violence.

Before searching a place under this section, the police officer must inform the occupier of the place, if present, that the occupier may accompany the police officer while the place is being searched.

For this section, a place that is a building, includes a vehicle at the place.