sec.176Powers at crime scene

### sec.176 Powers at crime scene The responsible officer at a crime scene, or a police officer acting under the direction of the responsible officer, may do any of the following in relation to the crime scene— enter the crime scene; if reasonably necessary, enter another place to gain access to the crime scene; perform any necessary investigation, including, for example, a search and inspection of the crime scene and anything in it to obtain evidence of the commission of an offence; open anything at the crime scene that is locked; take electricity for use at the crime scene; dig up anything at the crime scene; remove wall or ceiling linings or floors of a building, or panels or fittings of a vehicle; remove or cause to be removed an obstruction from the crime scene; photograph the crime scene and anything in it; seize all or part of a thing that may provide evidence of the commission of an offence. It may be necessary to seize and remove a vehicle for scientific examination to obtain evidence that may be in the vehicle. However, if it is necessary to do anything at the place that may cause structural damage to a building, the thing must not be done unless a Supreme Court judge issues a crime scene warrant for the place before the thing is done and the warrant authorises the doing of the thing. An authorised assistant at a crime scene may also do a thing mentioned in subsection (1) . However, the authorised assistant may do either of the following only if asked by a responsible officer to do something at the crime scene— enter the crime scene; if reasonably necessary, enter another place to gain access to the crime scene. (sec.176-ssec.1) The responsible officer at a crime scene, or a police officer acting under the direction of the responsible officer, may do any of the following in relation to the crime scene— enter the crime scene; if reasonably necessary, enter another place to gain access to the crime scene; perform any necessary investigation, including, for example, a search and inspection of the crime scene and anything in it to obtain evidence of the commission of an offence; open anything at the crime scene that is locked; take electricity for use at the crime scene; dig up anything at the crime scene; remove wall or ceiling linings or floors of a building, or panels or fittings of a vehicle; remove or cause to be removed an obstruction from the crime scene; photograph the crime scene and anything in it; seize all or part of a thing that may provide evidence of the commission of an offence. It may be necessary to seize and remove a vehicle for scientific examination to obtain evidence that may be in the vehicle. (sec.176-ssec.2) However, if it is necessary to do anything at the place that may cause structural damage to a building, the thing must not be done unless a Supreme Court judge issues a crime scene warrant for the place before the thing is done and the warrant authorises the doing of the thing. (sec.176-ssec.3) An authorised assistant at a crime scene may also do a thing mentioned in subsection (1) . (sec.176-ssec.4) However, the authorised assistant may do either of the following only if asked by a responsible officer to do something at the crime scene— enter the crime scene; if reasonably necessary, enter another place to gain access to the crime scene. - (a) enter the crime scene; - (b) if reasonably necessary, enter another place to gain access to the crime scene; - (c) perform any necessary investigation, including, for example, a search and inspection of the crime scene and anything in it to obtain evidence of the commission of an offence; - (d) open anything at the crime scene that is locked; - (e) take electricity for use at the crime scene; - (f) dig up anything at the crime scene; - (g) remove wall or ceiling linings or floors of a building, or panels or fittings of a vehicle; - (h) remove or cause to be removed an obstruction from the crime scene; - (i) photograph the crime scene and anything in it; - (j) seize all or part of a thing that may provide evidence of the commission of an offence. Example for paragraph (j) — It may be necessary to seize and remove a vehicle for scientific examination to obtain evidence that may be in the vehicle. - (a) enter the crime scene; - (b) if reasonably necessary, enter another place to gain access to the crime scene.