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Landmark
Police Bill Given Parliament's Approval
The new bill will give local police new powers to
crackdown on knife crime, drug-related offences and football-related
disorder.
 Local
Labour MSP Allan Wilson has today supported landmark legislation which will
give local police new powers to crackdown on knife crime, drug-related
offences and football-related disorder.
The Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill, which was
passed in the Scottish Parliament today and is expected to become law from
the autumn, includes a range of new measures to strengthen police
effectiveness and improve community safety.
The Cunninghame North MSP says the significant legislation is yet another
attempt by the Scottish Executive to tackle anti-social behaviour and
reclaim communities for the law-abiding majority of North Ayrshire
residents.
Speaking about the tough new laws, Allan Wilson MSP said:
“The Police Bill contains a range of new laws which will give local police
the powers they need to tackle drugs, weapons and sectarianism in our
communities. These new laws, together with anti-social behaviour
legislation, record police numbers and initiatives like the knife amnesty
and funding for hand-held detectors are strengthening and contributing to
safer communities for us to live and work in.”
The key provisions include:
- New measures to help tackle knife crime in Scotland, including doubling
the maximum penalty for carrying a knife in public or in a school from two
to four years, giving the police the unconditional power to arrest someone
suspected of carrying a knife in public, and increasing the minimum age for
buying a non-domestic knife from 16 to 18.
- Introduction of mandatory drug testing and referral, upon arrest, for
anyone aged 16 or over, who is suspected of a drugs or drugs-related offence
such as theft and shoplifting.
- Introduction of football banning orders to tackle football related
violence or sectarianism, racism or hatred, at football grounds or other
flash points associated with games.
- Increased powers for the police to strengthen the monitoring of sex
offenders in the community. This will include requiring convicted sex
offenders to provide more information about themselves and requiring
registered sex offenders to provide a DNA sample if this was not given at
the time of charge or conviction. It will also give the police additional
powers to enter and search a sex offender’s home for the purposes of risk
assessment.
- Strengthened powers for prosecutors and the police, to encourage those
accused of crimes to give information to them about others involved in
serious organised crime, in return for reduced sentences, to help get more
Mr Bigs off Scotland’s streets.
Notes:
1. Other measures contained in the Bill will:
- Provide new powers for the police to strengthen the monitoring of sex
offenders in the community, following Professor Irving’s review of the
operation of the sex offenders’ registration scheme last year. These
provisions will require convicted sex offenders to provide the police with
more information about themselves including details of passports, and in the
longer term, bank accounts and credit cards. Registered sex offenders will
also be required to provide a DNA sample to the police if this was not
provided at the time of charge or conviction. It will also give the police
additional powers to enter and search a sex offender’s home for the purposes
of risk assessment.
- Improve the organisation of marches and parades, and enable local
authorities to take account of a wider range of factors – such as the views
of the community - when considering notifications for public processions.
- Strengthen a prosecutor’s ability to encourage those accused of crimes to
give information to them and the police about others involved in serious and
organised crime, to help get more criminals off Scotland’s streets.
- Enhance other police powers such as the ability to prevent the anti-social
use of fireworks and to identify suspects more effectively by giving them
the authority to obtain a person’s date of birth and to take fingerprints
while out on the beat.
2. The full text of the Bill can be accessed via the following link:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/publications
3. Subject to Royal Assent, the various provisions in the Bill are expected
to become law from autumn 2006, beginning with those covering knife crime,
fireworks, sex offenders and football banning orders.
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