Section 61Part 4 — Powers, Duties and Privileges of Police Officers
Entry for the purpose of arrest, etc.
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61. (1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, and without prejudice to any other Law, a police officer may enter and search without a warrant authorising the entry and search any premises for the purpose of —
executing —
a warrant of arrest issued in connection with or arising out of criminal proceedings; or Section 62 Police Act (2021 Revision) Page 54 Revised as at 31st December, 2020 c
any warrant issued by a court or officer of the court;
arresting a person for an arrestable offence;
arresting a person for an offence under the Penal Code (2019 Revision);
recapturing a person who is unlawfully at large and whom the police officer is pursuing; or
saving life or limb or preventing serious damage to property.
Except for the purpose specified in subsection (1)(e), the powers of entry and search conferred by this section —
are only exercisable if the police officer has reasonable grounds for believing that the person whom the police officer is seeking is on the premises; and
are limited, in relation to premises consisting of two or more separate dwellings, to powers to enter and search —
any parts of the premises which the occupiers of any dwelling comprised in the premises use in common with the occupiers of any other such dwelling; and for believing that the person whom the police officer is seeking may be.
any such dwelling in which the police officer has reasonable grounds
The powers of entry and search conferred by this section are exercisable by a police officer, whether in uniform or not.
The power of search conferred by this section is only a power to search to the extent that is reasonably required for the purpose for which the power of entry is exercised.
Where access to premises is denied, a police officer may break and enter those premises to gain access for the purpose of an arrest.
For the avoidance of doubt, the rules of common law under which a police officer has —
power to enter premises without a warrant; and
power of entry to deal with or prevent a breach of the peace, are not affected by the provisions of this section.