The newly commenced reforms allow the Police Commissioner to declare certain places for the purposes of new wanding search powers. SAPOL will be required to gazette the declaration and notify the relevant authority in charge of that declared place.

New places that can now be declared to enable police to conduct metal detector searches include public transport hubs and vehicles, and shopping centre precincts.

The new reforms also give SA Police officers the ability to conduct metal detector searches on certain people – including people previously convicted of murder, manslaughter, causing harm, shooting at police, possessing an object with intent to kill or maim, or possessing a firearm with the intent to commit an offence.

Previously, police were only able to conduct a metal detector search on these cohorts if they had a reasonable cause to suspect they had or would commit an offence.

The commencement of these new reforms constitutes the first phase of the Government’s comprehensive knife crime package roll-out, with work continuing to be undertaken in preparation for the commencement of the new age of sale of knives, the new offence of supplying a knife to a minor, and the new requirement of safe storage of knives in retail premises.