Police Powers to Use Hand-Held Scanners in Designated Areas
Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) and Other Legislation Amendment (Knife Crime) Bill 2024
1st House
2nd House
Law
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
Senior police officers can declare public places as designated areas; this includes shopping precincts, sporting venues and transport stations.
Police officers can require people in these areas to stop and submit to a hand-held scanner without a warrant.
Police can use scanners on public transport vehicles within two stops of a designated station.
If a scanner detects metal, police can require a person to produce the object and be scanned again.
Police must use scanners in the least invasive way; they must be the same sex as the person if reasonably practicable.
People who refuse to comply with a scanner request without a reasonable excuse commit an offence.
Fines and jail time increase for selling knives to children under 16.
Selling knives to 16 or 17 year olds becomes a criminal offence.