What to do when Police attend your House
The Police can attend your premises for various reasons. They may attend because they wish to check your welfare. More often, the Police attend because they suspect you have been involved in illegal activity or may have information about an offence. Worst case scenario is when the Police attend to arrest you or with a search warrant.
There are a few things you should remember when the Police arrive;
- They must announce their station, rank and the reason for their attendance.
- They must announce the reason they are there. For example, if they have a search warrant, they can enter your premises but not until you or another occupier of the premises have been given a copy of the search warrant.
- Before entering, they must have a reasonable suspicion that the person they are looking for is within the premises.
- The Police must also allow reasonable time for somebody to answer the door before entering the premises.
It is important to remember; YOU CAN CALL A LAWYER AT ANY TIME. You can call a lawyer before you have been arrested or after. You can ask the Police officer to speak to a lawyer as well, so that we can explain to you what the Police are there for.
