PART 1AIR WEAPONS

Air weapon clubs and recreational shooting facilities

22Power to enter and inspect club premises

(1)

The chief constable may, for the purposes of ascertaining whether the provisions of this Part or any conditions attached to an approved air weapon club's approval are being complied with, authorise a constable or a member of police staff—

(a)

to enter any club premises of an approved air weapon club, and

(b)

to inspect those premises and anything on them which is relevant to the purposes for which the authorisation was granted.

(2)

The power of a constable or a member of police staff under subsection (1)(b) to inspect anything on club premises includes power to require any information which is stored in electronic form and accessible from the premises to be produced in a form which is visible and legible.

(3)

A constable or a member of police staff may exercise the powers of entry conferred by this section only at a reasonable time, unless it appears to the constable or member of police staff that the purposes of entering the club premises may be frustrated if the constable or member of police staff seeks to enter at a reasonable time.

(4)

A constable or a member of police staff must, if asked, produce the authorisation before entering any premises under this section.

(5)

The chief constable may delegate the power to grant an authorisation under subsection (1) only to a constable who holds the rank of inspector or above.

(6)

It is an offence for a person to obstruct intentionally a constable or a member of police staff in the exercise of the constable's or member of police staff's powers under an authorisation granted under this section.

(7)

A person who commits an offence under subsection (6) is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

(8)

In this section, “club premises”, in relation to an approved air weapon club, means any premises, other than a dwelling, occupied or used by the club.