Police Reform Act 2002

[F1 19ZE (1) The powers conferred by this paragraph are exercisable by a person— U.K.

(a) who is designated under paragraph 19(2) in relation to an investigation (the “designated person”), and

(b) who is lawfully on any premises for the purposes of the investigation.

(2) The designated person may seize anything which is on the premises if the designated person has reasonable grounds for believing—

(a) that it is evidence relating to the conduct or other matter to which the investigation relates, and

(b) that it is necessary to seize it in order to prevent the evidence being concealed, lost, altered or destroyed.

(3) The designated person may require any information which is stored in any electronic form and is accessible from the premises to be produced in a form in which it can be taken away and in which it is visible and legible, or from which it can readily be produced in a visible and legible form, if the designated person has reasonable grounds for believing—

(a) that it is evidence relating to the conduct or other matter to which the investigation relates, and

(b) that it is necessary to do so in order to prevent the evidence being concealed, lost, tampered with or destroyed.

(4) The powers conferred by this paragraph do not authorise the seizure of an item which the designated person exercising the power has reasonable grounds for believing to be an item subject to legal privilege within the meaning of the 1984 Act (see section 10 of that Act).

(5) Where a designated person has the power to seize a thing or require information to be produced under this paragraph and under section 19 of the 1984 Act (by virtue of section 97(8) of the 1996 Act or paragraph 19(4)), the designated person is to be treated for all purposes as acting in exercise of the power conferred by section 19 of the 1984 Act.

(6) In this paragraph “premises” has the same meaning as in the 1984 Act (see section 23 of that Act).]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 3 paras. 19ZE-19ZH and cross-headings inserted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes) by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), ss.20(1), 183(1)(5)(e)