Searches without warrant in emergency situations
16 Searches without warrant in emergency situations
This section applies if a police officer suspects, on reasonable grounds, that – a thing relevant to an offence is in or on a conveyance; and it is necessary to exercise a power under subsection (2) in order to prevent the thing from being concealed, lost or destroyed.
The police officer may – stop and detain the conveyance; and search the conveyance, and any thing attached to or carried in or on the conveyance, for the thing; and seize the thing if he or she finds it there; and if in immediate pursuit of a conveyance, continue the pursuit of that conveyance onto any premises and exercise any of the powers specified in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) while the conveyance is on those premises.
If, in the course of searching for the thing, the police officer finds another thing relevant to an offence, the police officer may seize that thing if he or she suspects, on reasonable grounds, that it is necessary to seize it in order to prevent its concealment, loss or destruction.
The police officer is to exercise his or her powers subject to section 17.
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