Police Power

Police Power

The police must respect individual's civil rights.
People are entitled to be allowed to move freely and to have their person and their property respected. However, there must be sufficient powers for the police to investigate crime.
Parliament gave them special powers which can be used in certain circumstances.
Includes right to stop and search them, to arrest and interview people when necessary and to take fingerprints and samples (blood) for scientific analysis.
Law on police powers Police and Criminal Evidence (PACE) Act 1984.
Five codes:
1. Code A - Powers to stop and search.
2. Code B - Powers to search premises and seize property.
3. Code C - Detention, treatment and questioning of suspects.
4. Code D - Rules for identification procedures.
5. Code E - Tape-recording of interviews with suspects.

Serious arrestable offences

Automatically considered as serious arrrestable offences "Section 116 PACE" treason, murder, manslaughter, rape, other s...