Restricted Premises Act: Review of police use of firearms search powers and new offence provisions

In 2016, the Ombudsman completed a review of amendments made to the Restricted Premises Act to help target gun crime and premises used by serious criminals. The amendments introduced offences that can be committed by owners and occupiers of declared premises and powers to search for firearms on declared premises without a warrant.\r\n\r\nA court can make a declaration under the Act in relation to certain premises where prohibited activities take place. Police can search these premises under a warrant, and declared premises at any time without a warrant. Police previously had the power to search for alcohol and drugs. After the amendments, they can also search for firearms, weapons and explosives.\r\n\r\nOur report found that the amendments have not enhanced police’s ability to disrupt OMCGs or detect firearms. Police did not obtain any restricted premises declarations, conduct searches without warrant or lay charges for any of the new offences during the review period.\r\n\r\nOur report also found that police did obtain warrants under the new provisions of the Act to search seven suspected OMCG clubhouses, however those searches could have been done under the old provisions. Our report outlines concerns about the way in which the seven searches were executed.\r\n\r\nOur report recommends amendments to the legislation to provide police with specific powers to manage the risks associated with potentially dangerous premise searches and also proposes that police clarify their powers to seize certain items.\r\n2016年，监察专员(Ombudsman)完成了针对《限制场所法》(Restricted Premises Act)修正案的审查工作，该修正案旨在针对性打击枪支犯罪及严重刑事犯罪分子所使用的场所。修正案新增了可由已宣告场所(declared premises)所有者及占用人触犯的罪名，同时赋予警方无需搜查令即可在已宣告场所内搜查枪支的权力。 法院可依据该法对存在违禁活动的特定场所作出宣告。警方凭借搜查令可对普通涉案场所开展搜查，而对已宣告场所则可无需搜查令随时进行搜查。此前警方仅有权搜查酒精与毒品相关物品，修正案实施后，警方亦可搜查枪支、武器及爆炸物。 本报告发现，修正案并未提升警方瓦解非法摩托车帮派(OMCGs)或查获枪支的能力。在审查周期内，警方未获得任何已宣告场所的认定、未开展过无搜查令的搜查行动，也未针对新增罪名提起任何刑事指控。 本报告同时发现，警方虽依据该法新增条款获得搜查令，搜查了7处疑似非法摩托车帮派的据点，但此类搜查本可依据旧有条款完成。报告还就该7次搜查的执行方式提出了关切。 本报告建议对该立法进行修正，赋予警方针对潜在危险场所搜查的专项管理权限，同时提议警方明确其扣押特定物品的权力。