What are your rights in a police search?

The number of strip searches conducted by NSW police has increased 20-fold in the past decade. General police searches (not strip searches) are also on the rise and can occur in a variety of settings, from music festivals to train stations or just walking down the street.

What are your rights to refuse a search? How much can a police officer ask you to do or reveal? And what are the rules around searching?

Know your rights in the Australian context with this video by LSJ featuring journalist Kate Allman and lawyers Andrew Tiedt and Samantha Lee.

[stevenbrown]

Reasonable suspicion what garbage, they do as they please

[timothyevans]

First thing to do is get Your cameras out and start filming...

[kepamurray]

So the long and short of what you are saying is, you can't really stop them from searching you and there are no repercussions for illegal searches.
GOT IT! 👍

[davespanksalot]

One tip if you're going to a music festival with sniffer dogs is to fill all available pockets with dog food, sausages and chicken nuggets for when you go past the dogs. And when you show them your pockets make sure to pile it all up in front of and around the police dog. After all police dogs are the most honest, hard working and ethical of all the police officers and deserve nice things during long work days... This action is also known as being the designated distraction 😁 Alternatively you can find and befriend one of the officers who's a massive cokehead and you get free passes for a range of questionable activities. This is known as finding a personal Roger Rogerson.

[petesmith]

In this day and age advice on wearing a personal body camera and filming police would be much appreciated

[blackdog]

Exactly what authority do police have seeing they were legislated in 1986. Upholding rules and regulations of corporate entities is not law. Also they are registered in the US. Qld police recorded sales of 600 million in 2017. Exactly what are they selling.

[cinemaipswich]

Police need a Reasonable Articuable Suspicion that you have, are or will commit an offence. They must tell you what offence that is and how they know that the offence is, has or will be committed.

[cheechjay]

If they cannot articulate a crime you are suspected of committing or have committed... DO NOT GIVE ANY INFORMATION...tell them to kick rocks

[ronnie]

isn`t it true that this only applies to person and does not applies living man and woman

[mikayla-janerivers]

Was this made by the government?! Key words people "they can ask" meaning you can say NO

[queenofthebutterflies]

Wow, police flaunting their power, what a surprise!

[TimothyEvans-qh]

Get your phone out and record the police....say nothing....

[tonysobevski]

Soon as they introduce themselves, as constable ( John Smith).. What's a constable, made up word that's not a living being.. surley then, I can refer to myself as hi I'm Randy Macho man Savage.. same thing isn't..

[gregdawes]

I had an argument with my neighbours. Aday later l am driving on the highway and a highway patrol vehicle comes up behind me at
70kmh and sits 8 inches behind my car for 4 kms. They stopped next to me at the shopping centre and gave me a warning. I find out the female officer is the daughter of my neighbours. 3 weeks later another argument. Two
Off duty cops at my door threatening me.
I have it on video. " l had not committed any crime, and yet was told " keep your head down or we will take it off " amongst other things. I have documented the intimidation, and the use of publicly illegal weapons by my neighbours.
It seems parramatta/ Rosehill police have no problems doing little favours for family and friends. A solicitor led complaint with all video is forthcoming.

[OhSoddit]

WHERE was the "Law Society of NSW" when people were being coerced into a "provisionally" approved (EXPERIMENTAL) medical treatment??

[jordanthomas]

Never ever consent to a search of any kind and under any circumstances

[dannyboy]

Seems like Australian citizens have no rights to refuse an unwarranted search as refusal to do so could result in further charges. The laws are written to give the police the right to decide if it is warranted vs verbally detailing their evidence of suspicion. I don’t consent is your best answer - as they may back off.

[willianmccormack]

So much wrong and misleading information from a so called respected institution, .

[sampsonsunny]

Welcome to the NSW penal colony. The law society is such a failure to the convicts here.

[dragan]

In the past i was getting pulled over and my hilux was searched for weapons and drugs! All because I answered when they saw my license that i was Yugoslav? The cop immediately asked what part ? Because Yugoslavia doesn't exist. When i said: Serbian? They immediately said : we have to search your car for drugs and guns! Eventually i told a detective. Then i reported racism, targeting me on a weekly basis. One cop pulled me over because I look like an arab! I said: why did you pull me over? Is it my crappy car or do i look like a terrorist? He apologised. But afyer filing a complaint saying i was suffering from anxiety and depression., i was asked if i wanted to take it further and press charges? I told them i just want to stop being harassed! I haven't been pulled over since! I should have pressed charges but im glad i saw your video. Cheers 👍