Police Powers (Drug Detection in Border Areas Trial) Act 2003 Review January 2005

In January 2004 NSW Police began an 18-month trial of new laws permitting police officers to randomly stop and screen vehicles for prohibited drugs. The new Act, the Police Powers (Drug Detection in Border Areas Trial) Act 2003 ('the Act'), applies in specific sites along the southern borders of NSW. To exercise the powers in the Act, police must first obtain a Supreme Court warrant. This warrant authorises police to set up roadside checkpoints and use drug detection dogs to screen vehicles for prohibited drugs for a period of up to 72 hours. The Ombudsman was given the role to monitor the implementation of the Act for nine months and prepare a report detailing our findings. Our review has involved a significant amount of direct observational research of police exercising their new powers. This report was completed and provided to the Attorney General in January 2005 and tabled in Parliament on 25 October 2006.