Review of police use of Firearms Prohibition Order search powers - Issues Paper July 2015

Summary

We are currently scrutinising police use of new search without warrant powers and are calling from submissions from the public.
In November 2013, amendments made to the Firearms Act 1996 provided police in New South Wales with new search powers to enforce a Firearms Prohibition Order (FPO). The new search powers allow police to search (without a warrant) any person subject to an FPO and any premises or vehicle that the person occupies, controls or manages. The powers were introduced to help police find firearms and related items (such as a firearm part or ammunition) that the person is prohibited from having. Police can conduct an FPO search at any time, as long as the search is ‘reasonably required’ to determine whether the person has committed an offence by using a firearm, or by acquiring or possessing a firearm, a firearm part or ammunition.
We have released an issues paper which provides information on police use of the FPO search powers in the first ten months of operation. Download our issues paper using the link below.
We welcome your comments about the topics discussed in the paper and on any other aspects of the powers and their operation. In particular, we seek information about the personal experiences of people who have been directly affected by the FPO search powers. We have prepared a template to assist you in preparing your submission. Download it using the link below.
Submissions are due by 31 August 2015.

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