154Use of electronic equipment at premises

#### 154 Use of electronic equipment at premises (1) If there are reasonable grounds for believing that information constituting the whole or part of a record or records that may be seized under a warrant is stored at the premises by electronic means, the executing officer may operate electronic equipment at the premises to see whether the information is accessible by doing so. (2) The executing officer may only operate the electronic equipment if he or she has reasonable grounds for believing that the operation of the equipment can be carried out without damage to the equipment. (3) If the executing officer, after operating the equipment, finds that the information is accessible by doing so, he or she may: (a) seize the equipment and any disk, tape or other associated device; or (b) if the information can, by using facilities at the premises, be put in documentary form—operate the facilities to put the information in that form and seize the documents so produced; or (c) if the information can be transferred to a disk, tape or other storage device that: (i) is brought to the premises; or (ii) is at the premises and the use of which for the purpose has been agreed to in writing by the body concerned; operate the equipment or other facilities to copy the information to the storage device and take the storage device from the premises. (4) An executing officer may seize equipment under paragraph (3)(a) only if it is not practicable to put the information in documentary form as mentioned in paragraph (3)(b) or to copy the information as mentioned in paragraph (3)(c). (5) If the executing officer has reasonable grounds for believing that: (a) information may be accessible by operating electronic equipment at the premises; and (b) expert assistance is required to operate the equipment; and (c) if he or she does not take action under this subsection, the information may be destroyed, altered or otherwise interfered with; he or she may do whatever is necessary to secure the equipment, whether by locking it up, placing a guard or otherwise. (6) The executing officer must give notice to the body concerned of his or her intention to secure equipment and of the fact that the equipment may be secured for up to 24 hours. (7) The equipment may be secured: (a) for a period not exceeding 24 hours; or (b) until the equipment has been operated by the expert; whichever happens first. (8) If the executing officer has reasonable grounds for believing that the expert assistance will not be available within 24 hours, he or she may apply to the magistrate who issued the warrant for an extension of that period. (9) The executing officer must give notice to the body concerned of his or her intention to apply for an extension, and the body is entitled to be heard in relation to the application. (10) The provisions of this Division relating to the grant of warrants apply, with such modifications as are necessary, to the grant of an extension.